FROM  THE  MEMOIRS 

OF 

A  MINISTER  OF  FRANCE 


BY 
STANLEY  J.  WEYMAN 


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FROM  THE   MEMOIRS 


OF 


A  MINISTER  OF  FRANCE 


STANLEY  J.  WEYMAN 

AUTHOR  OF  "A  GENTLEMAN  OF  FRANCE,"  "  MY  LADY  ROTHA, 
"UNDER  THE  RED  ROBE,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


NEW  YORK 

LONGMANS,  GREEN,  AND  CO. 

l89S 


Copyright,  1894  and  1895 
By  STANLEY  J.  WEYMAN 

Copyright,  1895 
By  STANLEY  J.  WEYMAN 


All  rights  reserved 


TO 

MY    FRIEND 

GEORGE    PRESTON 

IN    ACKNOWLEDGMENT    OF    MANY    HAPPY    SUGGESTIONS 

AND    FIFTEEN    YEARS    OF    GOOD-FELLOWSHIP 

I    DEDICATE    THESE    STORIES 


C~\  *"V  ..^  \n*  r-k     m 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

The  Clockmaker  of  Poissy 3 

The  Tennis  Balls 31 

Two  Mayors  of  Bottitort 57 

La  Toussaint 85 

The  Lost  Cipher "3 

The  Governor  of  Gueret 141 

The  Open  Shutter '. 169 

The  Maid  of  Honour 195 

Farming  the  Taxes 223 

The  Cat  and  the  King 249 

The  Man  of  Monceaux 275 

At  Fontainebleau 3QI 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


He    turned  FROM    me  as  abruptly     Frontispiece 

to  face  page 

"  has  madame  sent  for  you  ?  " 1 7 

"i  saw  him  this  evening  in  the  rue  petits  pois  " 41 

"  Oh,  the  grave  man  !  "  she  cried 46 

"  But  I  am  the  Mayor     .     .     . " 72 

"  You  must  return  my  money  " 91 

The  Queen  was  lying  at  length 120 

We  found  the  houses     .     .     .     ruined  and  tenantless.  . .  147 

One  of  the  curtains  was  twitched  aside 188 

The  Queen  talking  fast  and  angrily 200 

"  God  forbid,"  he  said 224 

"  Take  your  usual  little  gift  " 240 

At  the   sight  of  the   page 262 

two  of  my  men     .     .     .     bore  him  to  the  ground 284 

But  the   two   had   not   proceeded   half   way   down   the 

GALLERY 324 


THE  CLOCKMAKER  OF   POISSY 


THE    CLOCKMAKER    OF    POISSY. 

Foreseeing  that  some  who  do  not  love  me  will  be 
swift  to  allege  that  in  the  preparation  of  these  memoirs 
I  have  set  down  only  such  things  as  redound  to  my 
credit,  and  have  suppressed  the  many  experiences  not 
so  propitious  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  most  sagacious 
while  in  power,  I  take  this  opportunity  of  refuting  that 
calumny.  For  the  truth  stands  so  far  the  other  way 
that  my  respect  for  the  King's  person  has  led  me  to 
omit  many  things  creditable  to  me  ;  and  some,  it  may 
be,  that  place  me  in  a  higher  light  than  any  I  have  set 
down.  And  not  only  that :  but  I  propose  in  this  very 
place  to  narrate  the  curious  details  of  an  adventure 
wherein  I  showed  to  less  advantage  than  usual  ;  and 
on  which  I  should,  were  I  moved  by  the  petty  feelings 
imputed  to  me  by  malice,  be  absolutely  silent. 

One  day,  about  a  fortnight  after  the  quarrel  between 
the  King  and  the  Duchess  of  Beaufort,  which  I  have 
described,  and  which  arose,  it  will  be  remembered,  out 
of  my  refusal  to  pay  the  christening  expenses  of  her 
second  son  on  the  scale  of  a  child  of  France,  I  was  sit- 
ting in  my  lodgings  at  St.  Germains  when  Maignan 
announced  that  M.  de  Perrot  desired  to  see  me.     Know- 

3 


4  MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

ing  Ferrot  to  be  ore  of  the  most  notorious  beggars 
about  the  court,  with  an  insatiable  maw  of  his  own  and 
an  endless  train  of  nephews  and  nieces,  I  was  at  first 
for  being  employed  ;  but,  reflecting  that  in  the  crisis  in 
the  King's  affairs  which  I  saw  approaching  —  and  which 
must,  if  he  pursued  his  expressed  intention  of  marrying 
the  Duchess,  be  fraught  with  infinite  danger  to  the 
State  and  himself  —  the  least  help  might  be  of  the 
greatest  moment,  I  bade  them  admit  him  ;  privately 
determining  to  throw  the  odium  of  any  refusal  upon 
the  overweening  influence  of  Madame  de  Sourdis,  the 
Duchess's  aunt. 

Accordingly  I  met  him  with  civility,  and  was  not  sur- 
prised when,  with  his  second  speech,  he  brought  out  the 
word  favour.  But  I  was  surprised — for,  as  I  have  said, 
I  knew  him  to  be  the  best  practised  beggar  in  the  world 
—  to  note  in  his  manner  some  indications  of  embarrass- 
ment and  nervousness  ;  which,  when  I  did  not  imme- 
diately assent,  increased  to  a  sensible  extent. 

"It  is  a  very  small  thing,  M.  de  Rosny,"  he  said, 
breathing  hard. 

On  that  hint  I  declared  my  willingness  to  serve  him. 
"But,"  I  added,  shrugging  my  shoulders  and  speaking 
in  a  confidential  tone,  "no  one  knows  the  Court  better 
than  you  do,  M.  de  Perrot.  You  are  in  all  our  secrets, 
and  you  must  be  aware  that  at  present  —  I  say  nothing 
of  the  Duchess,  she  is  a  good  woman,  and  devoted  to 
his  Majesty — but  there  are  others " 

"  I  know,"  he  answered,  with  a  flash  of  malevolence 
that  did  not  escape  me.     "  But  this  is  a  private  favour, 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OF  POISSY.  5 

M.  de  Rosny.  It  is  nothing  that  Madame  de  Sourdis 
can  desire,  either  for  herself  or  for  others." 

That  aroused  my  curiosity.  Only  the  week  before, 
Madame  de  Sourdis  had  obtained  a  Hat  for  her  son, 
and  the  post  of  Assistant  Deputy  Comptroller  of  Build- 
ings for  her  Groom  of  the  Chambers.  For  her  niece 
the  Duchess  she  meditated  obtaining  nothing  less  than 
a  crown.  I  was  at  pains,  therefore,  to  think  of  any 
office,  post,  or  pension  that  could  be  beyond  the  pale  of 
her  desires  ;  and  in  a  fit  of  gaiety  I  bade  M.  de  Perrot 
speak  out  and  explain  his  riddle. 

"  It  is  a  small  thing,"  he  said,  with  ill-disguised  ner- 
vousness.    "  The  King  hunts  to-morrow." 

"Yes,"  I  said. 

"  And  very  commonly  he  rides  back  in  your  company, 
M.  le  Marquis." 

"Sometimes,"  I  said;  "or  with  M.  d'Epernon.  Or, 
if  he  is  in  a  mood  for  scandal,  with  M.  la  Varenne  or 
Vitry." 

"  But  with  you,  if  you  wish  it,  and  care  to  contrive  it 
so,"  he  persisted,  with  a  cunning  look. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  Well  ?  "  I  said,  wonder- 
ing more  and  more  what  he  would  be  at. 

"  I  have  a  house  on  the  farther  side  of  Poissy,"  he 
continued.  "  And  I  should  take  it  as  a  favour,  M.  de 
Rosny,  if  you  could  induce  the  King  to  dismount  there 
to-morrow  and  take  a  cup  of  wine." 

"That  is  a  very  small  thing,"  I  said  bluntly,  wonder- 
ing much  why  he  had  made  so  great  a  parade  of  the 
matter,  and   still  more  why  he  seemed   so  ill  at  ease. 


6  MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  Yet,  after  such  a  prelude,  if  any  but  a  friend  of  your 
tried  loyalty  asked  it,  I  might  expect  to  find  Spanish 
liquorice  in  the  cup." 

"  That  is  out  of  the  question,  in  my  case,"  he  answered 
with  a  slight  assumption  of  offence,  which  he  imme- 
diately dropped.  "  And  you  say  it  is  a  small  thing  ;  it 
is  the  more  easily  granted,  M.  de  Rosny." 

"But  the  King  goes  and  comes  at  his  pleasure,"  I 
replied  warily.  "  Of  course,  he  might  take  it  into  his 
head  to  descend  at  your  house.  There  would  be  nothing 
surprising  in  such  a  visit.  I  think  that  he  has  paid  you 
one  before,  M.  de  Perrot  ?  " 

He  assented  eagerly. 

"And  he  may  do  so,"  I  said,  smiling,  "to-morrow. 
But  then,  again,  he  may  not.  The  chase  may  lead  him 
another  way ;  or  he  may  be  late  in  returning;  or  —  in 
fine,  a  hundred  things  may  happen." 

I  had  no  mind  to  go  farther  than  that ;  and  I  supposed 
that  it  would  satisfy  him,  and  that  he  would  thank  me 
and  take  his  leave.  To  my  surprise,  however,  he  stood 
his  ground,  and  even  pressed  me  more  than  was  polite ; 
while  his  countenance,  when  I  again  eluded  him,  assumed 
an  expression  of  chagrin  and  vexation  so  much  in  excess 
of  the  occasion  as  to  awaken  fresh  doubts  in  my  mind. 
But  these  only  the  more  confirmed  me  in  my  resolution 
to  commit  myself  no  farther,  especially  as  he  was  not  a 
man  I  loved  or  could  trust  ;  and  in  the  end  he  had  to 
retire  with  such  comfort  as  I  had  already  given  him. 

In  itself,  and  on  the  surface,  the  thing  seemed  to  be  a 
trifle,  unworthy  of  the  serious  consideration  of  any  man. 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OF  POISSY.  7 

But  in  so  far  as  it  touched  the  King's  person  and  move- 
ments, I  was  inclined  to  view  it  in  another  light ;  and  this 
the  more,  as  I  still  had  fresh  in  my  memory  the  remark- 
able manner  in  which  Father  Cotton,  the  Jesuit,  had 
given  me  a  warning  by  a  word  about  a  boxwood  fire. 


-p-. 


THE   KING 


After  a  moment's  thought,  therefore,  I  summoned  Bois- 
rueil,  one  of  my  gentlemen,  who  had  an  acknowledged 
talent  for  collecting  gossip ;  and  I  told  him  in  a  casual 
way  that  M.  de  Perrot  had  been  with  me. 

"  He  has  not  been  at  Court  for  a  week,"  he  remarked. 

"Indeed?"  I  said. 


8  MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  He  applied  for  the  post  of  Assistant  Deputy  Comp- 
troller of  Buildings  for  his  nephew,  and  took  offence 
when  it  was  given  to  Madame  de  Sourdis'  Groom  of  the 
Chambers." 

"  Ha  !  "  I  said  ;  "a  dangerous  malcontent." 

Boisrueil  smiled.  "  He  has  lived  a  week  out  of  the 
sunshine  of  his  Majesty's  countenance,  your  excellency. 
After  that,  all  things  are  possible." 

This  was  my  own  estimate  of  the  man,  whom  I  took 
to  be  one  of  those  smug,  pliant  self-seekers  whom  Courts 
and  peace  breed  up.  I  could  imagine  no  danger  that 
could  threaten  the  King  from  such  a  quarter;  while 
curiosity  inclined  me  to  grant  his  request.  As  it  hap- 
pened, the  deer  the  next  day  took  us  in  the  direction  of 
Poissy,  and  the  King,  who  was  always  itching  to  discuss 
with  me  the  question  of  his  projected  marriage,  and  as 
constantly,  since  our  long  talk  in  the  garden  at  Rennes, 
avoiding  the  subject  when  with  me,  bade  me  ride  home 
with  him.  On  coming  within  half  a  mile  of  Perrot's  I 
let  fall  his  name,  and  in  a  very  natural  way  suggested 
that  the  King  should  alight  there  for  a  few  minutes. 

It  was  one  of  the  things  Henry  delighted  to  do,  for, 
endowed  with  the  easiest  manners,  and  able  in  a  mo- 
ment to  exchange  the  formality  of  the  Louvre  for  the 
freedom  of  the  camp,  he  could  give  to  such  cheap 
favours  their  full  value.  He  consented  on  the  instant, 
therefore ;  and  turning  our  horses  into  a  by-road,  we 
sauntered  down  it  with  no  greater  attendance  than  a 
couple  of  pages. 

The  sun  was  near  setting,  and  its  rays,  which  still 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OF  POISSV.  g 

gilded  the  tree-tops,  left  the  wood  below  pensive  and 
melancholy.  The  house  stood  in  a  solitary  place  on  the 
edge  of  the  forest,  half  a  mile  from  Poissy ;  and  these 
two  things  had  their  effect  on  my  mind.  I  began  to 
wish  that  we  had  brought  with  us  half  a  troop  of  horse, 
or  at  least  two  or  three  gentlemen ;  and,  startled  by 
the  thought  of  the  unknown  chances  to  which,  out  of 
mere  idle  curiosity,  I  was  exposing  the  King,  I  would 
gladly  have  turned  back.  But  without  explanation  I 
could  not  do  so  ;  and  while  I  hesitated  Henry  cried  out 
gaily  that  we  were  there. 

A  short  avenue  of  limes  led  from  the  forest  road  to 
the  door.  I  looked  curiously  before  us  as  we  rode  under 
the  trees,  in  some  fear  lest  M.  de  Perrot!s  preparations 
should  discover  my  complicity,  and  apprise  the  King 
that  he  was  expected.  But  so  far  was  this  from  being 
the  case  that  no  one  appeared ;  the  house  rose  still  and 
silent  in  the  mellow  light  of  sunset,  and,  for  all  that 
we  could  see,  might  have  been  the  fabled  palace  of 
enchantment. 

" (  He  is  Jean  de  Nivelle's  dog ;  he  runs  away  when 
you  call  him,'  "  the  King  quoted.  "  Get  down,  Rosny. 
We  have  reached  the  palace  of  the  Sleeping  Princess. 
It  remains  only  to  sound  the  horn,  and " 

I  was  in  the  act  of  dismounting,  with  my  back  to  him, 
when  his  words  came  to  this  sudden  stop.  I  turned  to 
learn  what  caused  it,  and  saw  standing  in  the  aperture 
of  the  wicket,  which  had  been  silently  opened,  a  girl, 
little  more  than  a  child,  of  the  most  striking  beauty. 
Surprise  shone  in  her  eyes,  and  shyness  and  alarm  had 


IO         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

brought  the  colour  to  her  cheeks ;  while  the  level  rays 
of  the  sun,  which  forced  her  to  screen  her  eyes  with  one 
small  hand,  clothed  her  figure  in  a  robe  of  lucent  glory. 
I  heard  the  King  whistle  low.  Before  I  could  speak  he 
had  flung  himself  from  his  horse  and,  throwing  the 
reins  to  one  of  the  pages,  was  bowing  before  her. 

"We  were  about  to  sound  the  horn,  Mademoiselle," 
he  said,  smiling. 

"The  horn,  Monsieur?"  she  exclaimed,  opening  her 
eyes  in  wonder,  and  staring  at  him  with  the  prettiest 
face  of  astonishment. 

"Yes,  Mademoiselle;  to  awaken  the  sleeping  prin- 
cess," he  rejoined.  "But  I  see  that  she  is  already 
awake." 

Through  the  innocence  of  her  eyes  flashed  a  sudden 
gleam  of  archness.  "Monsieur  flatters  himself,"  she 
said,  with  a  smile  that  just  revealed  the  whiteness  of 
her  teeth. 

It  was  such  an  answer  as  delighted  the  King ;  who 
loved,  above  all  things,  a  combination  of  wit  and  beauty, 
and  never  for  any  long  time  wore  the  chains  of  a  woman 
who  did  not  unite  sense  to  more  showy  attractions. 
From  the  effect  which  the  grace  and  freshness  of  the 
girl  had  on  me,  I  could  judge  in  a  degree  of  the  impres- 
sion made  on  him  ;  his  next  words  showed  not  only  its 
depth,  but  that  he  was  determined  to  enjoy  the  adven- 
ture to  the  full.  He  presented  me  to  her  as  M.  de  Sage, 
and  inquiring  affectionately  after  Perrot,  learned  in  a 
trice  that  she  was  his  niece,  not  long  from  a  convent  at 
Loches ;  finally,  begging  to  be  allowed  to  rest  awhile, 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OF  POISSY.  \  \ 

he  dropped  a  gallant  hint  that  a  cup  of  wine  from  her 
hands  would  be  acceptable. 

All  this,  and  her  innocent  doubt  what  she  ought  to 
do,  thus  brought  face  to  face  with  two  strange  cavaliers, 
threw  the  girl  into  such  a  state  of  blushing  confusion  as 
redoubled  her  charms.  It  appeared  that  her  uncle  had 
been  summoned  unexpectedly  to  Marly,  and  had  taken 
his  son  with  him  ;  and  that  the  household  had  seized 
the  occasion  to  go  to  a  village  fete  at  Acheres.  Only  an 
old  servant  remained  in  the  house  ;  who  presently  ap- 
peared and  took  her  orders.  I  saw  from  the  man's  start 
of  consternation  that  he  knew  the  King ;  but  a  glance 
from  Henry's  eyes  bidding  me  to  keep  up  the  illusion,  I 
followed  the  fellow  and  charged  him  not  to  betray  the 
King's  incognito.  When  I  returned,  I  found  that  Mad- 
emoiselle had  conducted  her  visitor  to  a  grassy  terrace 
which  ran  along  the  south  side  of  the  house,  and  was 
screened  from  the  forest  by  an  alley  of  apple  trees,  and 
from  the  east  wind  by  a  hedge  of  yew.  Here,  where  the 
last  rays  of  the  sun  threw  sinuous  shadows  on  the  turf, 
and  Paris  seemed  a  million  miles  away,  they  were  walk- 
ing up  and  down,  the  sound  of  their  laughter  breaking 
the  woodland  silence.  Mademoiselle  had  a  fan,  with 
which  and  an  air  of  convent  coquetry  she  occasionally 
shaded  her  eyes.  The  King  carried  his  hat  in  his  hand. 
It  was  such  an  adventure  as  he  loved,  with  all  his  heart ; 
and  I  stood  a  little  way  off,  smiling,  and  thinking  grimly 
of  M.  de  Perrot. 

On  a  sudden,  hearing  a  step  behind  me,  I  turned,  and 
saw  a  young  man  in  a  riding-dress  come  quickly  through 


I2         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

an  opening  in  the  yew  hedge.  As  I  turned,  he  stopped; 
his  jaw  fell,  and  he  stood  rooted  to  the  ground,  gazing 
at  the  two  on  the  terrace,  while  his  face,  which  a 
moment  before  had  worn  an  air  of  pleased  expectancy, 
grew  on  a  sudden  dark  with  passion,  and  put  on  such  a 
look  as  made  me  move  towards  him.  Before  I  reached 
him,  however,  M.  de  Perrot  himself  appeared  at  his 
side.  The  young  man  flashed  round  on  him.  "  Mon 
Dieu,  sir !  "  he  cried,  in  a  voice  choked  with  anger ; 
"I  see  it  all  now!  I  understand  why  I  was  carried 
away  to  Marly  !  I  —  but  it  shall  not  be  !  I  swear  it 
shall  not ! " 

Between  him  and  me  —  for,  needless  to  say,  I,  too, 
understood  all  —  M.  de  Perrot  was  awkwardly  placed. 
But  he  showed  the  presence  of  mind  of  the  old  cour- 
tier. "Silence,  sir  !"  he  exclaimed  imperatively.  "Do 
you  not  see  M.  de  Rosny  ?  Go  to  him  at  once  and  pay 
your  respects  to  him,  and  request  him  to  honour  you 
with  his  protection.  Or  —  I  see  that  you  are  overcome 
by  the  honour  which  the  King  does  us.  Go,  first,  and 
change  your  dress.     Go,  boy  !  " 

The  lad  retired  sullenly,  and  M.  de  Perrot,  free  to 
deal  with  me  alone,  approached  me,  smiling  assiduously, 
and  trying  hard  to  hide  some  consciousness  and  a  little 
shame  under  a  mask  of  Cordiality.  "  A  thousand  par- 
dons, M.  de  Rosny,"  he  cried  with  effusion,  "for  an 
absence  quite  unpardonable.  But  I  so  little  expected  to 
see  his  Majesty  after  what  you  said,  and " 

"  Are  in  no  hurry  to  interrupt  him  now  you  are  here," 
I  replied  bluntly,  determined  that,  whoever  he  deceived, 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OF  POISSY.  I3 

he  should  not  flatter  himself  he  deceived  me.  "  Pooh, 
man  !  I  am  not  a  fool,"  I  continued. 

"What  is  this?"  he  cried,  with  a  desperate  attempt 
to  keep  up  the  farce.     "  I  don't  understand  you  !  " 

"  No,  the  shoe  is  on  the  other  foot  —  I  understand 
you,"  I  replied  drily.  "  Chut,  man  !  "  I  continued,  "you 
don't  make  a  catspaw  of  me.  I  see  the  game.  You  are 
for  sitting  in  Madame  de  Sourdis'  seat,  and  giving  your 
son  a  Hat,  and  your  groom  a  Comptrollership,  and  your 
niece  a " 

"Hush,  hush,  M.  de  Rosny,"  he  muttered,  turning 
white  and  red,  and  wiping  his  brow  with  his  kerchief. 
"  Mon  Dieu  !  your  words  might " 

"  If  overheard,  make  things  very  unpleasant  for  M. 
de  Perrot,"  I  said. 

"And  M.  de  Rosny?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  contemptuously.  "Tush, 
man  !  "  I  said.  "  Do  you  think  that  I  sit  in  no  safer 
seat  than  that  ?  " 

"  Ah  !  But  when  Madame  de  Beaufort  is  Queen  ?  " 
he  said  slily. 

"  If  she  ever  is,"  I  replied,  affecting  greater  confi- 
dence than  I  at  that  time  felt. 

"Well,  to  be  sure,"  he  said  slowly,  "if  she  ever 
is."  And  he  looked  towards  the  King  and  his  com- 
panion, who  were  still  chatting  gaily.  Then  he  stole 
a  crafty  glance  at  me.  "Do  you  wish  her  to  be?"  he 
muttered. 

"  Queen  ?  "  I  said,  "  God  forbid  !  " 

"It  would  be  a  disgrace  to  France?"  he  whispered; 


I4         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

and  he  laid  his  hand  on  my  arm,  and  looked  eagerly  into 
my  face. 

"Yes,"  I  said. 

"  A  blot  on  his  fame  ?  " 

I  nodded. 

"  A  —  a  slur  on  a  score  of  noble  families?  " 

I  could  not  deny  it. 

"Then  —  is  it  not  worth  while  to  avoid  all  that  ?"  he 
murmured,  his  face  pale,  and  his  small  eyes  glued  to 
mine.  "Is  it  not  worth  a  little  —  sacrifice,  M.  de 
Rosny  ? " 

"  And  risk  ?  "  I  said.     "  Possibly." 

While  the  words  were  still  on  my  lips,  something 
stirred  close  to  us,  behind  the  yew  hedge  beside  which 
we  were  standing.  Perrot  darted  in  a  moment  to  the 
opening,  and  I  after  him.  We  were  just  in  time  to 
catch  a  glimpse  of  a  figure  disappearing  round  the 
corner  of  the  house.  "Well,"  I  said  grimly,  "what 
about  being  overheard  now  ?" 

M.  de  Perrot  wiped  his  face.  "Thank  heaven!"  he 
said,  "  it  was  only  my  son.  Now  let  me  explain  to 
you " 

But  our  hasty  movement  had  caught  the  King's 
eye,  and  he  came  towards  us,  covering  himself  as  he 
approached.  I  had  now  an  opportunity  of  learning 
whether  the  girl  was,  in  fact,  as  innocent  as  she  seemed 
and  as  every  particular  of  our  reception  had  declared 
her ;  and  I  watched  her  closely  when  Perrot's  mode  of 
address  betrayed  the  King's  identity.  Suffice  it  that 
the  vivid  blush  which  on  the  instant  suffused  her  face, 


THE  CLOCKMAKER   OE  POISSY.  l$ 

and  the  lively  emotion  which  almost  overcame  her,  left 
me  in  no  doubt.  With  a  charming  air  of  bashfulness, 
and  just  so  much  timid  awkwardness  as  rendered  her 
doubly  bewitching,  she  tried  to  kneel  and  kiss  the 
King's  hand.  He  would  not  permit  this,  however,  but 
saluted  her  cheek. 

"  It  seems  that  you  were  right,  sire,"  she  murmured, 
curtseying  in  a  pretty  confusion.  "The  princess  was 
not  awake." 

Henry  laughed  gaily.  "  Come  now  ;  tell  me  frankly, 
Mademoiselle,"  he  said.  "  For  whom  did  you  take 
me  ? " 

"  Not  for  the  King,  sire,"  she  answered,  with  a  gleam 
of  roguishness.  "  You  told  me  that  the  King  was  a 
good  man,  whose  benevolent  impulses  were  constantly 
checked " 

"Ah!" 

"  By  M.  de  Rosny,  his  Minister." 

The  outburst  of  laughter  which  greeted  this  apprised 
her  that  she  was  again  at  fault ;  and  Henry,  who  liked 
nothing  better  than  such  mystifications,  introducing  me 
by  my  proper  name,  we  diverted  ourselves  for  some 
minutes  with  her  alarm  and  excuses.  After  that  it  was 
time  to  take  leave,  if  we  would  sup  at  home  and  the 
King  would  not  be  missed  ;  and  accordingly,  but  not 
without  some  further  badinage,  in  which  Mademoiselle 
de  Brut  displayed  wit  equal  to  her  beauty,  and  an 
agreeable  refinement  not  always  found  with  either, 
we  departed. 

It  should  be  clearly  understood  at  this  point,  that, 


X6         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

notwithstanding  all  I  have  set  down,  I  was  fully  deter- 
mined (in  accordance  with  a  rule  I  have  constantly  fol- 
lowed, and  would  enjoin  on  all  who  do  not  desire  to  find 
themselves  one  day  saddled  with  an  ugly  name)  to  have 
no  part  in  the  affair  ;  and  this  though  the  advantage 
of  altering  the  King's  intentions  towards  Madame  de 
Beaufort  was  never  more  vividly  present  to  my  mind. 
As  we  rode,  indeed,  he  put  several  questions  concerning 
the  Baron,  and  his  family,  and  connections ;  and,  falling 
into  a  reverie,  and  smiling  a  good  deal  at  his  thoughts, 
left  me  in  no  doubt  as  to  the  impression  made  upon  him. 
But  being  engaged  at  the  time  with  the  Spanish  treaty, 
and  resolved,  as  I  have  said,  to  steer  a  course  uninflu- 
enced by  such  intrigues,  I  did  not  let  my  mind  dwell 
upon  the  matter ;  nor  gave  it,  indeed,  a  second  thought 
until  the  next  afternoon,  when,  sitting  at  an  open  win- 
dow of  my  lodging,  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  street  ask 
where  the  Duchess  de  Beaufort  had  her  apartment. 

The  voice  struck  a  chord  in  my  memory,  and  I  looked 
out.  The  man  who  had  put  the  question,  and  who  was 
now  being  directed  on  his  way  —  by  Maignan,  my 
equerry,  as  it  chanced  —  had  his  back  to  me,  and  I 
could  see  only  that  he  was  young,  shabbily  dressed,  and 
with  the  air  of  a  workman  carried  a  small  frail  of  tools 
on  his  shoulder.  But  presently,  in  the  act  of  thanking 
Maignan,  he  turned  so  that  I  saw  his  face,  and  with 
that  it  flashed  upon  me  in  a  moment  who  he  was. 

Accustomed  to  follow  a  train  of  thought  quickly,  and 
to  act  on  its  conclusion  with  energy,  I  had  Maignan 
called  and  furnished  with  his    instructions   before   the 


Has  madame  sent  for  you  ?  " 


THE   CLOCKMAKER    OF  POISSY.  Yy 

man  had  gone  twenty  paces  ;  and  within  the  minute  I 
had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  two  return  together. 
As  they  passed  under  the  window  I  heard  my  servant 
explaining  with  the  utmost  naturalness  that  he  had 
misunderstood  the  stranger,  and  that  this  was  Madame 
de  Beaufort's ;  after  which  scarce  a  minute  elapsed 
before  the  door  of  my  room  opened,  and  he  appeared 
ushering  in  young  Perrot ! 

Or  so  it  seemed  to  me ;  and  the  start  of  surprise  and 
consternation  which  escaped  the  stranger  when  he  first 
saw  me  confirmed  me  in  the  impression.  But  a  moment 
later  I  doubted ;  so  natural  was  the  posture  into  which 
the  man  fell,  and  so  stupid  the  look  of  inquiry  which  he 
turned  first  on  me  and  then  on  Maignan.  As  he  stood 
before  me,  shifting  his  feet  and  staring  about  him  in 
vacant  wonder,  I  began  to  think  that  I  had  made  a  mis- 
take ;  and,  clearly,  either  I  had  done  so  or  this  young  man 
was  possessed  of  talents  and  a  power  of  controlling  his 
features  beyond  the  ordinary.  He  unslung  his  tools, 
and  saluting  me  abjectly  waited  in  silence.  After  a 
moment's  thought,  I  asked  him  peremptorily  what  was 
his  errand  with  the  Duchess  de  Beaufort. 

"  To  show  her  a  watch,  your  excellency,"  he  stam- 
mered, his  mouth  open,  his  eyes  staring.  I  could  detect 
no  flaw  in  his  acting. 

"  What  are  you,  then  ?  "  I  said. 

"  A  clockmaker,  my  lord." 

"  Has  Madame  sent  for  you  ?" 

"  No,  my  lord,"  he  stuttered,  trembling. 

"  Do  you  want  to  sell  her  the  watch  ?  " 


1 8         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

He  muttered  that  he  did  ;  and  that  he  meant  no  harm 
by  it. 

"  Show  it  to  me  then,"  I  said  curtly. 

He  grew  red  at  that,  and  seemed  for  an  instant  not 
to  understand.  But  on  my  repeating  the  order  he 
thrust  his  hand  into  his  breast,  and  producing  a  parcel 
began  to  unfasten  it.  This  he  did  so  slowly  that  I  was 
soon  for  thinking  that  there  was  no  watch  in  it  ;  but  in 
the  end  he  found  one  and  handed  it  to  me. 

"  You  did  not  make  this,"  I  said,  opening  it. 

"  No,  my  lord,"  he  answered  ;  "it  is  German,  and  old." 

I  saw  that  it  was  of  excellent  workmanship,  and  I  was 
about  to  hand  it  back  to  him,  almost  persuaded  that  I 
had  made  a  mistake,  when  in  a  second  my  doubts  were 
solved.  Engraved  on  the  thick  end  of  the  egg,  and 
partly  erased  by  wear,  was  a  dog's  head,  which  I  knew 
to  be  the  crest  of  the  Perrots. 

"  So,"  I  said,  preparing  to  return  it  to  him,  "  you  are 
a  clockmaker  ? " 

"  Yes,  your  excellency,"  he  muttered.  And  I  thought 
that  I  caught  the  sound  of  a  sigh  of  relief. 

I  gave  the  watch  to  Maignan  to  hand  to  him.  "  Very 
well,"  I  said.  "  I  have  need  of  one.  The  clock  in  the 
next  room  —  a  gift  from  his  Majesty  —  is  out  of  order, 
and  at  a  standstill.  You  can  go  and  attend  to  it ;  and 
see  that  you  do  so  skilfully.  And  do  you,  Maignan,"  I 
continued  with  meaning,  "go  with  him.  When  he  has 
made  the  clock  go,  let  him  go  ;  and  not  before,  or  you 
answer  for  it.     You  understand,  sirrah  ?  " 

Maignan  saluted  obsequiously,  and  in  a  moment  hur- 


THE  CLOCKMAKER    OF  POISSY. 


*9 


ried  young  Perrot  from  the  room  ;  leaving  me  to  congratu- 
late myself  on  the  strange  and  fortuitous  circumstance 
that  had  thrown  him  in  my  way,  and  enabled  me  to 
guard  against  a  rencontre  that  might  have  had  the  most 
embarrassing  consequences. 


HEARD  A  CLATTER   OF   HOOFS 


It  required  no  great  sagacity  to  foresee  the  next  move ; 
and  I  was  not  surprised  when,  about  an  hour  later,  I 
heard  a   clatter    of    hoofs  outside,  and    a  voice  inquir- 


20         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

ing  hurriedly  for  the  Marquis  de  Rosny.  One  of  my 
people  announced  M.  de  Perrot,  and  I  bade  them 
admit  him.  In  a  twinkling  he  came  up,  pale  with  heat, 
and  covered  with  dust,  his  eyes  almost  starting  from 
his  head,  and  his  cheeks  trembling  with  agitation.  Al- 
most before  the  door  was  shut,  he  cried  out  that  we 
were  undone. 

I  was  willing  to  divert  myself  with  him  for  a  time, 
and  I  pretended  to  know  nothing.  "What?"  I  said, 
rising.      "  Has  the  King  met  with  an  accident  ?  " 

"Worse!  worse!"    he  cried,  waving   his  hat  with  a 
gesture    of    despair.      "My    son  —  you    saw    my    son 
yesterday  ? " 
"Yes,"  I  said. 
"He  overheard  us  !  " 

"  Not  us,"  I  said  drily.  "  You.  But  what  then,  M. 
de  Perrot  ?     You  are  master  in  your  own  house." 

"  But  he  is  not  in  my  house,"  he  wailed.     "  He  has 
gone  !     Fled  !     Decamped  !     I  had  words  with  him  this 
morning,  you  understand." 
"  About  your  niece  ?  " 

M.  de  Perrot's  face  took  a  delicate  shade  of  red,  and 
he  nodded  ;  he  could  not  speak.  He  seemed  for  an 
instant  in  danger  of  some  kind  of  fit.  Then  he  found 
his  voice  again.  "  The  fool  prated  of  love  !  Of  love  !  " 
he  said  with  such  a  look  —  like  that  of  a  dying  fowl  — 
that  I  could  have  laughed  aloud.  "And  when  I  bade 
him  remember  his  duty  he  threatened  me.  He,  that 
unnatural  boy,  threatened  to  betray  me,  to  ruin  me,  to 
go  to  Madame  de  Beaufort  and   tell  her  all — all,  you 


THE  CLOCKMAKEQ    OF  POISSY.  2I 

understand.  And  I  doing  so  much,  and  making  such 
sacrifices  for  him  !  " 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  I  see  that.     And  what  did  you  do  ?  " 

"I  broke  my  cane  on  his  back,"  M.  de  Perrot  answered 
with  unction,  "and  locked  him  in  his  room.  But  what 
is  the  use  ?     The  boy  has  no  natural  feelings  !  " 

"  He  got  out  through  the  window  ?  " 

Perrot  nodded ;  and  being  at  leisure,  now  that  he  had 
explained  his  woes,  to  feel  their  full  depth,  shed  actual 
tears  of  rage  and  terror ;  now  moaning  that  Madame 
would  never  forgive  him,  and  that  if  he  escaped  the 
Bastille  he  would  lose  all  his  employments  and  be  the 
laughing-stock  of  the  Court ;  and  now  striving  to  show 
that  his  peril  was  mine,  and  that  it  was  to  my  interest 
to  help  him. 

I  allowed  him  to  go  on  in  this  strain  for  some  time, 
and  then,  having  sufficiently  diverted  myself  with  his 
forebodings,  I  bade  him  in  an  altered  voice  to  take 
courage.  "  For  I  think  I  know,"  I  said,  "  where  your 
son  is." 

"At  Madame' s  ?  "  he  groaned. 

"No;  here,"  I  said. 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  Where  ? "  he  cried.  And  he  sprang  up, 
startled  out  of  his  lamentations. 

"Here;  in  my  lodging,"  I  answered. 

"  My  son  is  here  ?  "  he  said. 

"In  the  next  room,"  I  replied,  smiling  indulgently  at 
his  astonishment,  which  was  only  less  amusing  than  his 
terror.  "  I  have  but  to  touch  this  bell,  and  Maignan  will 
bring  him  to  you." 


22  MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

Full  of  wonder  and  admiration,  he  implored  me  to 
ring  and  have  him  brought  immediately ;  since  until  he 
had  set  eyes  on  him  he  could  not  feel  safe.  Accord- 
ingly I  rang  my  hand-bell,  and  Maignan  opened  the 
door.     "The  clockmaker,"  I  said,  nodding. 

He  looked  at  me  stupidly.  "  The  clockmaker,  your 
excellency  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  bring  him  in,"  I  said. 

"But — he  has  gone!  "  he  exclaimed. 

"Gone?"  I  cried,  scarcely  able  to  believe  my  ears. 
"  Gone,  sirrah  !  and  I  told  you  to  detain  him!  " 

"Until  he  had  mended  the  clock,  my  lord,"  Maignan 
stammered,  quite  out  of  countenance.  "  But  he  set  it 
going  half-an-hour  ago  ;  and  I  let  him  go,  according  to 
your  order." 

It  is  in  the  face  of  such  contretemps  as  these  that  the 
low-bred  man  betrays  himself.  Yet  such  was  my  chagrin 
on  this  occasion,  and  so  sudden  the  shock,  that  it  was 
all  I  could  do  to  maintain  my  sangfroid,  and,  dismissing 
Maignan  with  a  look,  be  content  to  punish  M.  de  Perrot 
with  a  sneer.  "  I  did  not  know  that  your  son  was  a 
tradesman,"  I  said. 

He  wrung  his  hands.  "He  has  low  tastes,"  he  cried. 
"He  always  had.  He  has  amused  himself  that  way. 
And  now  by  this  time  he  is  with  Madame  de  Beaufort 
and  we  are  undone  !" 

"Not  we,"  I  answered  curtly;  "speak  for  yourself, 
M.  de  Perrot." 

But  though,  having  no  mind  to  appear  in  his  eyes  de- 
pendent on  Madame's  favour  or  caprice,  I  thus  checked 


THE  CLOCKMAKER    OE  PO/SSY.  2^ 

his  familiarity,  I  am  free  to  confess  that  my  calmness 
was  partly  assumed  ;  and  that,  though  I  knew  my  posi- 
tion to  be  unassailable  —  based  as  it  was  on  solid  services 
rendered  to  the  King",  my  master,  and  on  the  familiar 
affection  with  which  he  honoured  me  through  so  many 
years  —  I  could  not  view  the  prospect  of  a  fresh  collision 
with  Madame  without  some  misgiving.  Having  gained 
the  mastery  in  the  two  quarrels  we  had  had,  I  was  the 
less  inclined  to  excite  her  to  fresh  intrigues  ;  and  as 
unwilling  to  give  the  King  reason  to  think  that  we 
could  not  live  at  peace.  Accordingly,  after  a  moment's 
consideration,  I  told  Perrot  that,  rather  than  he  should 
suffer,  I  would  go  to  Madame  de  Beaufort  myself,  and 
give  such  explanations  as  would  place  another  complex- 
ion on  the  matter. 

He  overwhelmed  me  with  thanks,  and,  besides,  to 
show  his  gratitude  —  for  he  was  still  on  thorns,  pictur- 
ing her  wrath  and  resentment  —  he  insisted  on  accom- 
panying me  to  the  Cloiter  de  St.  Germain,  where  Mad- 
ame had  her  apartment.  By  the  way  he  asked  me  what 
I  should  say  to  her. 

"  Whatever  will  get  you  out  of  the  scrape,"  I  an- 
swered curtly. 

"  Then  anything  !  "  he  cried  with  fervour.  "  Any- 
thing, my  dear  friend.     Oh,  that  unnatural  boy  !  " 

"  I  suppose  that  the  girl  is  as  big  a  fool  ?  "  I  said. 

''Bigger!  bigger!"  he  answered.  "I  don't  know 
where  she  learned  such  things  !  " 

"  She  prated  of  love,  too,  then  ?  " 

"To  be  sure,"  he  groaned,  "and  without  a  sou  of  dot!" 


24         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  Well,  well,"  I  said,  "  here  we  are.  I  will  do  what  I 
can." 

Fortunately  the  King  was  not  there,  and  Madame 
would  receive  me.  I  thought,  indeed,  that  her  doors 
flew  open  with  suspicious  speed,  and  that  way  was  made 
for  me  more  easily  than  usual  ;  and  I  soon  found  that  I 
was  not  wrong  in  the  inference  I  drew  from  these  facts. 
For  when  I  entered  her  chamber  that  remarkable 
woman,  who,  whatever  her  enemies  may  say,  combined 
with  her  beauty  a  very  uncommon  degree  of  sense  and 
discretion,  met  me  with  a  low  courtesy  and  a  smile  of 
derision.  "  So,"  she  said,  "  M.  de  Rosny,  not  satisfied 
with  furnishing  me  with  evidence,  gives  me  proof." 

"  How,  Madame?"  I  said  ;  though  I  well  understood. 

"By  his  presence  here,"  she  answered.  "An  hour 
ago,"  she  continued,  "  the  King  was  with  me.  I  had 
not  then  the  slightest  ground  to  expect  this  honour,  or 
I  am  sure  that  his  Majesty  would  have  stayed  to  share 
it.  But  I  have  since  seen  reason  to  expect  it,  and  you 
observe  that  I  am  not  unprepared." 

She  spoke  with  a  sparkling  eye,  and  an  expression  of 
the  most  lively  resentment  ;  so  that,  had  M.  de  Perrot 
been  in  my  place,  I  think  that  he  would  have  shed  more 
tears.  I  was  myself  somewhat  dashed,  though  I  knew 
the  prudence  that  governed  her  in  her  most  impetuous 
sallies  ;  still,  to  avoid  the  risk  of  hearing  things  which 
we  might  both  afterwards  wish  unsaid,  I  came  to  the 
point.  "I  fear  that  I  have  timed  my  visit  ill,  Madame," 
I  said.     "You  have  some  complaint  against  me." 

"  Only  that   you  are  like  the  others,"  she  answered 


THE  CLOCKMAKER    OE  POISSY. 


25 


with  a  fine  contempt.  "You  profess  one  thing  and  do 
another." 

"As  for  example  ?  " 

"  For  example  !  "  she  replied,  with  a  scornful  laugh. 
"  How  many  times  have  you  told  me  that  you  left 
women,  and  intrigues  in  which  women  had  part,  on  one 
side  ?  " 

I  bowed. 

"  And  now  I  find  you  —  you  and  that  Perrot,  that 
creature  !  —  intriguing  against  me  ;  intriguing  with  some 
country  chit  to " 

"  Madame  !  "  I  said,  cutting  her  short  with  a  show  of 
temper,  "where  did  you  get  this  ?" 

"  Do  you  deny  it  ? "  she  cried,  looking  so  beautiful  in 
her  anger  that  I  thought  I  had  never  seen  her  to  such  ad- 
vantage.   "  Do  you  deny  that  you  took  the  King  there  ? " 

"  No.     Certainly,  I  took  the  King  there." 

"  To  Perrot's  ?     You  admit  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  I  said,  "for  a  purpose." 

"  A  purpose  !  "  she  cried  with  withering  scorn.  "  Was 
it  not  that  the  King  might  see  that  girl  ? " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied  patiently,  "  it  was." 

She  stared  at  me.  "  And  you  can  tell  me  that  to  my 
face  !  "  she  said. 

"  I  see  no  reason  why  I  should  not,  Madame,"  I 
replied  easily  —  "I  cannot  conceive  why  you  should 
object  to  the  union — and  many  why  you  should  desire 
to  see  two  people  happy.  Otherwise,  if  I  had  had  any 
idea,  even  the  slightest,  that  the  matter  was  obnoxious 
to  you,  I  would  not  have  engaged  in  it." 


26         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

«  But  —  what  was  your  purpose  then  ?  "  she  muttered, 
in  a  different  tone. 

"  To  obtain  the  King's  good  word  with  M.  de  Perrot 
to  permit  the  marriage  of  his  son  with  his  niece  ;  who 
is,  unfortunately,  without  a  portion." 

Madame  uttered  a  low  exclamation,  and  her  eyes 
wandering  from  me,  she  took  up  —  as  if  her  thoughts 
strayed  also  —  a  small  ornament  from  the  table  beside 
her.  "  Ah  !  "  she  said,  looking  at  it  closely.  "  But 
Perrot's  son  —  did  he  know  of  this  ?  " 

"No,"  I  answered,  smiling.  "But  I  have  heard  that 
women  can  love  as  well  as  men,  Madame.  And  some- 
times ingenuously." 

I  heard  her  draw  a  sigh  of  relief,  and  1  knew  that  if  I 
had  not  persuaded  her  I  had  accomplished  much.  I 
was  not  surprised  when,  laying  down  the  ornament  with 
which  she  had  been  toying,  she  turned  on  me  one  of 
those  rare  smiles  to  which  the  King  could  refuse  noth- 
ing ;  and  wherein  wit,  tenderness,  and  gaiety  were  so 
happily  blended  that  no  conceivable  beauty  of  feature, 
uninspired  by  sensibility,  could  vie  with  them.  "Good 
friend,  I  have  sinned,"  she  said.  "  But  I  am  a  woman, 
and  I  love.  Pardon  me.  As  for  your  protegee,  from 
this  moment  she  is  mine  also.  I  will  speak  to  the  King 
this  evening ;  and  if  he  does  not  at  once,"  Madame  con- 
tinued, with  a  gleam  of  archness  that  showed  me  that 
she  was  not  yet  free  from  suspicion,  "  issue  his  com- 
mands to  M.  de  Perrot,  I  shall  know  what  to  think ;  and 
his  Majesty  will  suffer  !  " 

I  thanked  her  profusely,  and  in  fitting  terms.     Then, 


THE   CLOCKMAKER    OE  PO/SSY.  2J 

after  a  word  or  two  about  some  assignments  for  the 
expenses  of  her  household,  in  settling  which  there  had 
been  delay  —  a  matter  wherein,  also,  I  contrived  to  do 
her  pleasure  and  the  King's  service  no  wrong— I  very 
willingly  took  my  leave,  and,  calling  my  people,  started 
homewards  on  foot.  I  had  not  gone  twenty  paces,  how- 
ever, before  M.  de  Perrot,  whose  impatience  had  chained 
him  to  the  spot,  crossed  the  street  and  joined  himself  to 
me.  "  My  dear  friend,"  he  cried,  embracing  me  fer- 
vently, "is  all  well  ?  " 

"Yes,"  I  said. 

"  She  is  appeased  ?  " 

"  Absolutely." 

He  heaved  a  deep  sigh  of  relief,  and,  almost  crying 
in  his  joy,  began  to  thank  me,  with  all  the  extrava- 
gance of  phrase  and  gesture  to  which  men  of  his  mean 
spirit  are  prone.  Through  all  I  heard  him  silently, 
and  with  secret  amusement,  knowing  that  the  end  was 
not  yet.  At  length  he  asked  me  what  explanation  I 
had  given. 

"The  only  explanation  possible,"  I  answered  bluntly. 
"I  had  to  combat  Madame's  jealousy.  I  did  it  in  the 
only  way  in  which  it  could  be  done  :  by  stating  that 
your  niece  loved  your  son,  and  by  imploring  her  good 
word  on  their  behalf." 

He  sprang  a  pace  from  me  with  a  cry  of  rage  and 
astonishment.     "  You  did  that  ?  "  he  screamed. 

"Softly,  softly,  M.  de  Perrot,"  I  said,  in  a  voice  which 
brought  him  somewhat  to  his  senses.  "Certainly  I  did. 
You  bade  me  say  whatever  was  necessary,  and  I  did  so. 


28         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

No  more.     If  you  wish,  however,"  I  added  grimly,  "to 

explain  to  Madame  that " 

But  with  a  wail  of  lamentation  he  rushed  from  me, 
and  in  a  moment  was  lost  in  the  darkness ;  leaving  me 
to  smile  at  this  odd  termination  of  an  intrigue  that,  but 
for  a  lad's  adroitness,  might  have  altered  the  fortunes 
not  of  M.  de  Perrot  only  but  of  the  King  my  master 
and  of  France. 


THE  TENNIS   BALLS. 


II. 

THE  TENNIS  BALLS. 

A  few  weeks  before  the  death  of  the  Duchess  of 
Beaufort,  on  Easter  Eve,  1599,  made  so  great  a  change 
in  the  relations  of  all  at  Court  that  "Sourdis  mourning" 
came  to  be  a  phrase  for  grief,  genuine  because  inter- 
ested, an  affair  that  might  have  had  a  serious  issue 
began,  imperceptibly  at  the  time,  in  the  veriest  trifle. 

One  day,  while  the  King  was  still  absent  from  Paris, 
I  had  a  mind  to  play  tennis,  and  for  that  purpose  sum- 
moned La  Trape,  who  had  the  charge  of  my  balls,  and 
sometimes,  in  the  absence  of  better  company,  played 
with  me.  Of  late  the  balls  he  bought  had  given  me 
small  satisfaction,  and  I  bade  him  bring  me  the  bag, 
that  I  might  choose  the  best.  He  did  so,  and  I  had  not 
handled  half  a  dozen  before  I  found  one,  and  later  three 
others,  so  much  more  neatly  sewn  than  the  rest,  and  in 
all  points  so  superior,  that  even  an  untrained  eye  could 
not  fail  to  detect  the  difference. 

"Look,  man!"  I  said,  holding  out  one  of  these  for 
his  inspection.  "These  are  balls  ;  the  rest  are  rubbish. 
Cannot  you  see  the  difference  ?  Where  did  you  buy 
these?     At  Constant's?" 

He  muttered,  "  No,  my  lord,"  and  looked  confused. 

31 


32         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

This  roused  my  curiosity.  "Where,  then?"  I  said 
sharply. 

"  Of  a  man  who  was  at  the  gate  yesterday." 

"  Oh  !  "  I  said.      "  Selling  tennis  balls  ? " 

"Yes,  my  lord." 

"  Some  rogue  of  a  market,"  I  exclaimed,  "from  whom 
you  bought  filched  goods  !     Who  was  it,  man  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  his  name,"  La  Trape  answered.  "  He 
was  a  Spaniard." 

"Well?" 

"  Who  wanted  to  have  an  audience  of  your  excellency." 

"  Ho  !  "  I  said  drily.  "  Now  I  understand.  Bring  me 
your  book.  Or,  tell  me,  what  have  you  charged  me  for 
these  balls  ? " 

"  Two  francs,"  he  muttered  reluctantly. 

"And  never  gave  a  sou,  I'll  swear!"  I  retorted. 
"  You  took  the  poor  devil's  balls,  and  left  him  at  the 
gate  !  Ay,  it  is  rogues  like  you  get  me  a  bad  name  !  " 
I  continued,  affecting  more  anger  than  I  felt — for, 
in  truth,  I  was  rather  pleased  with  my  quickness  in 
discovering  the  cheat.  "You  steal  and  I  bear  the 
blame,  and  pay  to  boot !  Off  with  you  and  find  the 
fellow,  and  bring  him  to  me,  or  it  will  be  the  worse 
for  you  !  " 

Glad  to  escape  so  easily,  La  Trape  ran  to  the  gate ; 
but  he  failed  to  find  his  friend,  and  two  or  three  days 
elapsed  before  I  thought  again  of  the  matter,  such  petty 
rogueries  being  ingrained  in  a  great  man's  valctaille, 
and  being  no  more  to  be  removed  than  the  hairs  from  a 
man's  arm.     At  the  end  of  that  time  La  Trape  came  to 


THE  TENNIS  BALLS.  33 

me,  bringing  the  Spaniard  ;  who  had  appeared  again  at 
the  gate.  The  stranger  proved  to  be  a  small,  slight  man, 
pale  and  yet  brown,  with  quick-glancing  eyes.  His 
dress  was  decent,  but  very  poor,  with  more  than  one 
rent  neatly  darned.  He  made  me  a  profound  reverence, 
and  stood  waiting,  with  his  cap  in  his  hand,  to  be 
addressed  ;  but,  with  all  his  humility,  I  did  not  fail  to 
detect  an  easiness  of  deportment  and  a  propriety  that 
did  not  seem  absolutely  strange  since  he  was  a  Spaniard, 
but  which  struck  me,  nevertheless,  as  requiring  some 
explanation.  I  asked  him,  civilly,  who  he  was.  He 
answered  that  his  name  was  Diego. 

"  You  speak  French  ?  " 

"  I  am  of  Guipuzcoa,  my  lord,"  he  answered,  "  where 
we  sometimes  speak  three  tongues." 

"  That  is  true,"  I  said.  "  And  it  is  your  trade  to 
make  tennis  balls?  " 

"  No,  my  lord  ;  to  use  them,"  he  answered  with  a 
certain  dignity. 

"  You  are  a  player,  then  ?  " 

"  If  it  please  your  excellency." 

"  Where  have  you  played  ?  " 

"  At  Madrid,  where  I  was  the  keeper  of  the  Duke  of 
Segovia's  court  ;  and  at  Toledo,  where  I  frequently  had 
the  honour  of  playing  against  M.  de  Montserrat." 

"  You  are  a  good  player  ?  " 

"  If  your  excellency,"  he  answered  impulsively,  "  will 
give  me  an  opportunity " 

"  Softly,  softly,"  I  said,  somewhat  taken  aback  by  his 
earnestness.     "  Granted  that  you  are  a  player,  you  seem 


34 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


to  have  played  to  small  purpose.  Why  are  you  here, 
my  friend,  and  not  in  Madrid?" 

He  drew  up  his  sleeves,  and  showed  me  that  his  wrists 
were  deeply  scarred. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  You  have  been  in  the 
hands  of  the  Holy  Brotherhood  ?  "   I  said. 

"No,  my  lord,"  he  answered  bitterly.  "  Of  the  Holy 
Inquisition." 

"  You  are  a  Protestant  ?  " 

He  bowed. 

On  that  I  fell  to  considering  him  with  more  attention, 
but  at  the  same  time  with  some  distrust  ;  reflecting  that 
he  was  a  Spaniard,  and  recalling  the  numberless  plots 
against  his  Majesty  of  which  that  nation  had  been  guilty. 
Still,  if  his  tale  were  true  he  deserved  support ;  with  a 
view  therefore  to  testing  this  I  questioned  him  farther, 
and  learned  that  he  had  for  a  long  time  disguised  his 
opinions,  until,  opening  them  in  an  easy  moment  to  a 
fellow  servant,  he  found  himself  upon  the  first  occasion 
of  quarrel  betrayed  to  the  Fathers.  After  suffering 
much,  and  giving  himself  up  for  lost  in  their  dungeons, 
he  made  his  escape  in  a  manner  sufficiently  remarkable, 
if  I  might  believe  his  story.  In  the  prison  with  him  lay 
a  Moor,  for  whose  exchange  against  a  Christian  taken 
by  the  Sallee  pirates  an  order  came  down.  It  arrived 
in  the  evening;  the  Moor  was  to  be  removed  in  the 
morning.  An  hour  after  the  arrival  of  the  news,  how- 
ever, and  when  the  two  had  just  been  locked  up  for  the 
night,  the  Moor,  overcome  with  excess  of  joy,  suddenly 
expired.     At  first  the  Spaniard  was  for  giving  the  alarm  ; 


THE   TENNIS  BALLS.  35 

but,  being  an  ingenious  fellow,  in  a  few  minutes  he  sum- 
moned all  his  wits  together  and  made  a  plan.  Contriv- 
ing to  blacken  his  face  and  hands  with  charcoal  he 
changed  clothes  with  the  corpse,  and  muffling  himself 
up  after  the  fashion  of  the  Moors  in  a  cold  climate  he 
succeeded  in  the  early  morning  in  passing  out  in  his 
place.  Those  who  had  charge  of  him  had  no  reason  to 
expect  an  escape,  and  once  on  the  road  he  had  little 
difficulty  in  getting  away,  and  eventually  reached  France 
after  a  succession  of  narrow  chances. 

All  this  the  man  told  me  so  simply  that  I  knew  not 
which  to  admire  more,  the  daring  of  his  device  —  since 
for  a  white  man  to  pass  for  a  brown  is  beyond  the  com- 
mon scope  of  such  disguises — or  his  present  modesty 
in  relating  it.  However,  neither  of  these  things  seemed 
to  my  mind  a  good  reason  for  disbelief.  As  to  the  one, 
I  considered  that  an  impostor  would  have  put  forward 
something  more  simple ;  and  as  to  the  other,  I  have  all 
my  life  long  observed  that  those  who  have  had  strange 
experiences  tell  them  in  a  very  ordinary  way.  Besides, 
I  had  fresh  in  my  mind  the  diverting  escape  of  the  Duke 
of  Nemours  from  Lyons,  which  I  have  elsewhere  related. 
On  the  other  hand,  and  despite  all  these  things,  the  story 
might  be  false;  so  with  a  view  to  testing  one  part  of  it, 
at  least,  I  bade  him  come  and  play  with  me  that  afternoon. 

"  My  lord,"  he  said  bluntly,  "  I  had  rather  not.  For 
if  I  defeat  your  excellency,  I  may  defeat  also  your  good 
intentions.  And  if  I  permit  you  to  win,  I  shall  seem 
to  be  an  impostor." 

Somewhat  surprised  by  his  forethought,  I  reassured 


36         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

him  on  this  point ;  and  his  game,  which  proved  to  be 
one  of  remarkable  strength  and  finesse,  and  fairly  on 
an  equality,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  with  that  of  the  best 
French  players,  persuaded  me  that  at  any  rate  the  first 
part  of  his  tale  was  true.  Accordingly  I  made  him  a 
present,  and,  in  addition,  bade  Maignan  pay  him  a  small 
allowance  for  a  while.  For  this  he  showed  his  gratitude 
by  attaching  himself  to  my  household  ;  and  as  it  was 
the  fashion  at  that  time  to  keep  tennis-masters  of  this 
class,  I  found  it  occasionally  amusing  to  pit  him  against 
other  well-known  players.  In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks 
he  gained  me  great  credit ;  and  though  I  am  not  so 
foolish  as  to  attach  importance  to  such  trifles,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  think  an  old  soldier  who  stood  fast  at 
Coutras,  or  even  a  clerk  who  has  served  the  King  hon- 
estly—  if  such  a  prodigy  there  be  —  more  deserving 
than  these  professors,  still  I  do  not  err  on  the  other 
side ;  but  count  him  a  fool  who,  because  he  has  solid 
cause  to  value  himself,  disdains  the  eclat  which  the 
attachment  of  such  persons  gives  him  in  the  public  eye. 
The  man  went  by  the  name  of  Diego  the  Spaniard, 
and  his  story,  which  gradually  became  known,  together 
with  the  excellence  of  his  play,  made  him  so  much  the 
fashion  that  more  than  one  tried  to  detach  him  from  my 
service.  The  King  heard  of  him,  and  would  have  played 
with  him,  but  the  sudden  death  of  Madame  de  Beaufort, 
which  occurred  soon  afterwards,  threw  the  Court  into 
mourning ;  and  for  a  while,  in  pursuing  the  negotiations 
for  the  King's  divorce,  and  in  conducting  a  correspond- 
ence of  the  most  delicate  character  with  the  Queen,  I 


THE  TENNIS   HALLS.  37 

lost  sight  of  my  player — insomuch,  that  I  scarcely 
knew  whether  he  still  formed  part  of  my  suite  or  not. 

My  attention  was  presently  recalled  to  him,  however, 
in  a  rather  remarkable  manner.  One  morning  Don 
Antonio  d'Evora,  Secretary  to  the  Spanish  Embassy, 
and  a  brother  of  that  d'Evora  who  commanded  the 
Spanish  Foot  at  Paris  in  '94,  called  on  me  at  the  Arse- 
nal, to  which  I  had  just  removed,  and  desired  to  see  me. 
I  bade  them  admit  him  ;  but  as  my  secretaries  were  at 
the  time  at  work  with  me,  I  left  them  and  received  him 
in  the  garden  —  supposing  that  he  wished  to  speak  to 
me  about  the  affairs  of  Saluces,  and  preferring,  like 
the  King  my  master,  to  talk  of  matters  of  State  in  the 
open  air. 

However,  I  was  mistaken.  Don  Antonio  said  nothing 
about  Savoy,  but  after  the  usual  preliminaries,  which  a 
Spaniard  never  omits,  plunged  into  a  long  harangue 
upon  the  comity  which,  now  that  peace  reigned,  should 
exist  between  the  two  nations.  For  some  time  I  waited 
patiently  to  learn  what  he  would  be  at  ;  but  he  seemed 
to  be  lost  in  his  own  eloquence,  and  at  last  I  took  him 
up. 

"All  this  is  very  well,  M.  d'Evora,"  I  said.  "I  quite 
agree  with  you  that  the  times  are  changed,  that  amity 
is  not  the  same  thing  as  war,  and  that  a  grain  of  sand 
in  the  eye  is  unpleasant,"  for  he  had  said  all  of  these 
things.  "But  I  fail,  being  a  plain  man  and  no  diplo- 
matist, to  see  what  you  want  me  to  do." 

"  It  is  the  smallest  matter,"  he  said,  waving  his  hand 
gracefully. 


38         MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"And  yet,"  I  retorted,  "you  seem  to  find  a  difficulty 
in  coming  at  it." 

"As  you  do  at  the  grain  of  sand  in  the  eye,"  he 
answered  wittily.  "  After  all,  however,  in  what  you  say, 
M.  de  Rosny,  there  is  some  truth.  I  feel  that  I  am  on 
delicate  ground;  but  I  am  sure  that  you  will  pardon  me. 
You  have  in  your  suite  a  certain  Diego." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  I  said,  masking  my  surprise,  and 
affecting  indifference. 

"A  tennis-player." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "The  man  is  known,"  I 
said. 

"  A  Protestant  ?  " 

"It  is  not  impossible." 

"And  a  subject  of  the  King,  my  master.  A  man," 
Don  Antonio  continued,  with  increasing  stiffness,  "  in 
fine,  M.  de  Rosny,  who,  after  committing  various  of- 
fences, murdered  his  comrade  in  prison,  and,  escaping 
in  his  clothes,  took  refuge  in  this  country." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  again. 

"  I  have  no  knowledge  of  that,"  I  said  coldly. 

"  No,  or  I  am  sure  that  you  would  not  harbour  the 
fellow,"  the  secretary  answered.  "Now  that  you  do 
know  it,  however,  I  take  it  for  granted  that  you  will 
dismiss  him  ?  If  you  held  any  but  the  great  place  you 
do  hold,  M.  de  Rosny,  it  would  be  different ;  but  all  the 
world  see  who  follow  you,  and  this  man's  presence 
stains  you,  and  is  an  offence  to  my  master." 

"  Softly,  softly,  M.  d'Evora,"  I  said,  with  a  little 
warmth.     "You  go  too   fast.     Let    me   tell  you   first, 


THE   TENNIS  BALLS.  39 

that,  for  my  honour,  I  take  care  of  it  myself ;  and,  sec- 
ondly, for  your  master,  I  do  not  allow  even  my  own  to 
meddle  with  my  household." 

"But,  my  lord,"  he  said  pompously,  "the  King  of 
Spain  —  " 

"  Is  the  King  of  Spain,"  I  answered,  cutting  him 
short  without  much  ceremony.  "  But  in  the  Arsenal  of 
Paris,  which,  for  the  present,  is  my  house,  I  am  king. 
And  I  brook  no  usurpers,  M.  d'Evora." 

He  assented  to  that  with  a  constrained  smile. 

"Then  I  can  say  no  more,"  he  answered.  "I  have 
warned  you  that  the  man  is  a  rogue.  If  you  will  still 
entertain  him,  I  wash  my  hands  of  it.  But  I  fear  the 
consequences,  M.  de  Rosny,  and,  frankly,  it  lessens  my 
opinion  of  your  sagacity." 

Thereat  I  bowed  in  my  turn,  and  after  the  exchange 
of  some  civilities  he  took  his  leave.  Considering  his 
application  after  he  was  gone,  I  confess  that  I  found 
nothing  surprising  in  it ;  and  had  it  come  from  a  man 
whom  I  held  in  greater  respect  I  might  have  complied 
with  it  in  an  indirect  fashion.  But  though  it  might  have 
led  me  under  some  circumstances  to  discard  Diego,  nat- 
urally, since  it  confirmed  his  story  in  some  points,  and 
proved  besides  that  he  was  not  a  persona  grata  at  the 
Spanish  Embassy,  it  did  not  lead  me  to  value  him  less. 
And  as  within  the  week  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  defeat 
La  Varenne's  champion  in  a  great  match  at  the  Louvre, 
and  won  also  a  match  at  M.  de  Montpensier's  which  put 
fifty  crowns  into  my  pocket,  I  thought  less  and  less 
of  d'Evora's  remonstrance ;   until  the  King's  return  put 


4o         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

it  quite  out  of  my  head.  The  entanglement  with  Mad- 
emoiselle d'Entragues,  which  was  destined  to  be  the 
most  fatal  of  all  Henry's  attachments,  was  then  in  the 
forming ;  and  the  King  plunged  into  every  kind  of 
amusement  with  fresh  zest.  The  very  day  after  his 
return  he  matched  his  marker,  a  rogue,  but  an  excellent 
player,  against  my  man  ;  and  laid  me  twenty  crowns  on 
the  event,  the  match  to  be  played  on  the  following  Sat- 
urday after  a  dinner  which  M.  de  Lude  was  giving  in 
honour  of  the  lady. 

On  the  Thursday,  however,  who  should  come  in  to  me, 
while  I  was  sitting  alone  after  supper,  but  Maignan  : 
who,  closing  the  door  and  dismissing  the  page  who 
waited  there,  told  me  with  a  very  long  face  and  an  air 
of  vast  importance  that  he  had  discovered  something. 

"  Something  ?  "  I  said,  being  inclined  at  the  moment 
to  be  merry.  "  What  ?  A  plot  to  reduce  your  perqui- 
sites, you  rascal  ? " 

"No,  my  lord,"  he  answered  stoutly.  "But  to  tap 
your  excellency's  secrets." 

"Indeed,"  I  said  pleasantly,  not  believing  a  word  of 
it.      "  And  who  is  to  hang  ?  " 

"The  Spaniard,"  he  answered  in  a  low  voice. 

That  sobered  me,  by  putting  the  matter  in  a  new 
light;  and  I  sat  a  moment  looking  at  him  and  reviewing 
Diego's  story,  which  assumed  on  the  instant  an  aspect 
so  uncommon  and  almost  incredible  that  I  wondered 
how  I  had  ever  allowed  it  to  pass.  But  when  I  pro- 
ceeded from  this  to  the  substance  of  Mais-nan's  charge 
I  found  an  impasse  in  this  direction  also,  and  I  smiled. 


I  saw  him  this  evening  in  the  Rue  Petits  Pois  " 


THE   TENNIS  HALLS. 


41 


"  So  it  is  Diego,  is  it  ?"  I  said.  "  You  think  that  he  is 
a  spy  ?  " 

Maignan  nodded. 

"Then,  tell  me,"  I  asked,  "what  opportunity  has  he 
of  learning  more  than  all  the  world  knows?  He  has 
not  been  in  my  apartments  since  I  engaged  him.  He 
has  seen  none  of  my  papers.  The  youngest  foot-boy 
could  tell  all  he  has  learned." 

"True,  my  lord,"  Maignan  answered  slowly;  "but — " 

"  Well  ? " 

"I  saw  him  this  evening,  talking  with  a  priest  in  the 
Rue  Petits  Pois ;  and  he  calls  himself  a  Protestant." 

"Ah !     You  are  sure  that  the  man  was  a  priest?" 

"I  know  him." 

"For  whom  ?" 

"  One  of  the  chaplains  at  the  Spanish  Embassy." 

It  was  natural  that  after  this  I  should  take  a  more 
serious  view  of  the  matter;  and  I  did  so.  But  my 
former  difficulty  still  remained,  for,  assuming  this  to  be 
a  cunning  plot,  and  d'Evora's  application  to  me  a  ruse 
to  throw  me  off  my  guard,  I  could  not  see  where  their 
advantage  lay ;  since  the  Spaniard's  occupation  was  not 
of  a  nature  to  give  him  the  entry  to  my  confidence  or 
the  chance  of  ransacking  my  papers.  I  questioned 
Maignan  further,  therefore,  but  without  result.  He 
had  seen  the  two  together  in  a  secret  kind  of  way, 
viewing  them  himself  from  the  window  of  a  house 
where  he  had  an  assignation.  He  had  not  been  near 
enough  to  hear  what  they  said,  but  he  was  sure  that 
no  quarrel  took  place  between  them,  and  equally  cer- 


42         MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

tain  that  it  was  no  chance  meeting  that  brought  them 
together. 

Infected  by  his  assurance,  I  could  still  see  no  issue  ; 
and  no  object  in  such  an  intrigue.  And  in  the  end  I 
contented  myself  with  bidding  him  watch  the  Spaniard 
closely,  and  report  to  me  the  following  evening  ;  adding 
that  he  might  confide  the  matter  to  La  Trape,  who  was 
a  supple  fellow,  and  of  the  two  the  easier  companion. 

Accordingly,  next  evening  Maignan  again  appeared, 
this  time  with  a  face  even  longer  ;  so  that  at  first  I  sup- 
posed him  to  have  discovered  a  plot  worse  than  Chastel's  ; 
but  it  turned  out  that  he  had  discovered  nothing.  The 
Spaniard  had  spent  the  morning  in  lounging  and  the 
afternoon  in  practice  at  the  Louvre,  and  from  first  to 
last  had  conducted  himself  in  the  most  innocent  manner 
possible.  On  this  I  rallied  Maignan  on  his  mare's  nest, 
and  was  inclined  to  dismiss  the  matter  as  such  ;  still, 
before  doing  so,  I  thought  I  would  see  La  Trape,  and 
dismissing  Maignan  I  sent  for  him. 

When  he  was  come,  "  Well,"  I  said,  "  have  you  any- 
thing to  say  ? " 

"  One  little  thing  only,  your  excellency,"  he  answered 
slily,  "and  of  no  importance." 

"  But  you  did  not  tell  it  to  Maignan  ? " 

"  No,  my  lord,"  he  replied,  his  face  relaxing  in  a  cun- 
ning smile. 

"Well?" 

"  Once  to-day  I  saw  Diego  where  he  should  not  have 
been." 

"Where?" 


THE   TENNIS  BALLS.  43 

"  In  the  King's  dressing-room  at  the  tennis-court." 

"  You  saw  him  there  ?  " 

"I  saw  him  coming  out,"  he  answered. 

It  may  be  imagined  how  I  felt  on  hearing  this  ;  for 
although  I  might  have  thought  nothing  of  the  matter 
before  my  suspicions  were  aroused  —  since  any  man 
might  visit  such  a  place  out  of  curiosity  —  now,  my 
mind  being  disturbed,  I  was  quick  to  conceive  the  worst, 
and  saw  with  horror  my  beloved  master  already  destroyed 
through  my  carelessness.  I  questioned  La  Trape  in  a 
fury,  but  could  learn  nothing  more.  He  had  seen  the 
man  slip  out,  and  that  was  all. 

"But  did  you  not  go  in  yourself  ?  "  I  said,  restraining 
my  impatience  with  difficulty. 

"Afterwards  ?     Yes,  my  lord." 

"  And  made  no  discovery  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head. 

"Was  anything  prepared  for  his  Majesty  ?  " 

"There  was  sherbet ;  and  some  water." 

"You  tried  them?" 

La  Trape  grinned.  "  No,  my  lord,"  he  said.  "But 
I  gave  some  to  Maignan." 

"Not  explaining?" 

"No,  my  lord." 

"  You  sacrilegious  rascal  !  "  I  cried,  amused  in  spite 
of  my  anxiety.      "  And  he  was  none  the  worse  ?  " 

"No,  my  lord." 

Not  satisfied  yet,  I  continued  to  press  him,  but  with 
so  little  success  that  I  still  found  myself  unable  to 
decide  whether  the  Spaniard  had  wandered  in  innocently 


44         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

or  to  explore  his  ground.  In  the  end,  therefore,  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  see  things  for  myself ;  and  early  next 
morning,  at  an  hour  when  I  was  not  likely  to  be  ob- 
served, I  went  out  by  a  back  door,  and  with  my  face 
muffled  and  no  other  attendance  than  Maignan  and  La 
Trape,  went  to  the  tennis-court  and  examined  the  dress- 
ing-room. 

This  was  a  small  closet  on  the  first  floor,  of  a  size  to 
hold  two  or  three  persons,  and  with  a  casement  through 
which  the  King,  if  he  wished  to  be  private,  might  watch 
the  game.  Its  sole  furniture  consisted  of  a  little  table 
with  a  mirror,  a  seat  for  his  Majesty,  and  a  couple  of 
stools,  so  that  it  offered  small  scope  for  investigation. 
True,  the  stale  sherbet  and  the  water  were  still  there,  the 
carafes  standing  on  the  table  beside  an  empty  comfit 
box,  and  a  few  toilet  necessaries  ;  and  it  will  be  believed 
that  I  lost  no  time  in  examining  them.  But  I  made  no 
discovery,  and  when  I  had  passed  my  eye  over  every- 
thing else  that  the  room  contained,  and  noticed  nothing 
that  seemed  in  the  slightest  degree  suspicious,  I  found 
myself  completely  at  loss.  I  went  to  the  window,  and 
for  a  moment  looked  idly  into  the  court. 

But  neither  did  any  light  come  thence,  and  I  had 
turned  again  and  was  about  to  leave,  when  my  eye 
alighted  on  a  certain  thing  and  I  stopped. 

"What  is  that?"  I  said.  It  was  a  thin  case,  book- 
shaped,  of  Genoa  velvet,  somewhat  worn. 

"  Plaister,"  Maignan,  who  was  waiting  at  the  door, 
answered.  "His  Majesty's  hand  is  not  well  yet,  and 
as  your  excellency  knows,  he " 


THE   TENNIS  BALLS.  45 

"  Silence,  fool !  "  I  cried.  And  I  stood  rooted  to  the 
spot,  overwhelmed  by  the  conviction  that  I  held  the  clue 
to  the  mystery,  and  so  shaken  by  the  horror  which  that 
conviction  naturally  brought  with  it  that  I  could  not 
move  a  finger.  A  design  so  fiendish  and  monstrous  as 
that  which  I  suspected  might  rouse  the  dullest  sensibili- 
ties, in  a  case  where  it  threatened  the  meanest ;  but 
being  aimed  in  this  at  the  King,  my  master,  from  whom 
I  had  received  so  many  benefits,  and  on  whose  life  the 
well-being  of  all  depended,  it  goaded  me  to  the  warmest 
resentment.  I  looked  round  the  tennis-court  —  which, 
empty,  shadowy,  and  silent,  seemed  a  fit  place  for  such 
horrors  —  with  rage  and  repulsion;  apprehending  in  a 
moment  of  sad  presage  all  the  accursed  strokes  of  an 
enemy  whom  nothing  could  propitiate,  and  who,  sooner 
or  later,  must  set  all  my  care  at  nought,  and  take  from 
France  her  greatest  benefactor. 

But,  it  will  be  said,  I  had  no  proof,  only  a  conjecture  ; 
and  this  is  true,  but  of  it  hereafter.  Suffice  it  that,  as 
soon  as  I  had  swallowed  my  indignation,  I  took  all  the 
precautions  affection  could  suggest  or  duty  enjoin, 
omitting  nothing ;  and  then,  confiding  the  matter  to 
no  one  —  the  two  men  who  were  with  me  excepted  — 
I  prepared  to  observe  the  issue  with  gloomy  satisfaction. 

The  match  was  to  take  place  at  three  in  the  after- 
noon. A  little  after  that  hour,  I  arrived  at  the  tennis- 
court,  attended  by  La  Font  and  other  gentlemen,  and 
M.  l'Huillier,  the  councillor,  who  had  dined  with  me. 
L'Huillier's  business  had  detained  me  somewhat,  and 
the    men  had  begun;  but  as  I   had  anticipated    this,  I 


46        MEMOIRS   OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

had  begged  my  good  friend  De  Vic  to  have  an  eye  to 
my  interests.  The  King,  who  was  in  the  gallery,  had 
with  him  M.  de  Montpensier,  the  Comte  de  Lude,  Vitry, 
Varennes,  and  the  Florentine  Ambassador,  with  Sancy 
and  some  others.  Mademoiselle  d'Entragues  and  two 
ladies  had  taken  possession  of  his  closet,  and  from  the 
casement  were  pouring  forth  a  perpetual  fire  of  badinage 
and  bons  mots.  The  tennis-court,  in  a  word,  presented 
as  different  an  aspect  as  possible  from  that  which  it  had 
worn  in  the  morning.  The  sharp  crack  of  the  ball,  as 
it  bounded  from  side  to  side,  was  almost  lost  in  the  crisp 
laughter  and  babel  of  voices  ;  which  as  I  entered  rose 
into  a  perfect  uproar,  Mademoiselle  having  just  flung  a 
whole  lapful  of  roses  across  the  court  in  return  for  some 
witticism.  These  falling  short  of  the  gallery  had  lighted 
on  the  head  of  the  astonished  Diego,  causing  a  tem- 
porary cessation  of  play,  during  which  I  took  my  seat. 

Madame  de  Lude's  saucy  eye  picked  me  out  in  a 
moment.  "  Oh,  the  grave  man  !"  she  cried.  "Crown 
him,  too,  with  roses." 

"  As  they  crowned  the  skull  at  the  feast,  madame  ?  " 
I  answered,  saluting  her  gallantly. 

"  No,  but  as  the  man  whom  the  King  delighteth  to 
honour,"  she  answered,  making  a  face  at  me.  "  Ha !  ha ! 
I  am  not  afraid  !     I  am  not  afraid  !     I  am  not  afraid  !  " 

There  was  a  good  deal  of  laughter  at  this.  "What 
shall  I  do  to  her,  M.  de  Rosny  ? "  Mademoiselle  cried 
out,  coming  to  my  rescue. 

"If  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  kiss  her,  Mademoi- 
selle," I  answered,  "  I  will  consider  it  an  advance,  and 


E  ^.-35S»i     ■  ^    :■«..  .      .',.     '.  ;:■■:  .      \  y  *-"J. 


"Oh,  the  grave  man!"  she  cried. 


THE  TENNIS  BALLS.  47 

as  one  of  the  council  of  the  King's  finances,  my  credit 
should  be  good  for  the  re " 

"  Thank  you  !  "  the  King  cried,  nimbly  cutting  me 
short.  "  But  as  my  finances  seem  to  be  the  security, 
faith,  I  will  see  to  the  repayment  myself  !  Let  them 
start  again  ;  but  I  am  afraid  that  my  twenty  crowns  are 
yours,  Grand  Master  ;  your  man  is  in  fine  play." 

I  looked  into  the  court.  Diego,  lithe  and  sinewy, 
with  his  cropped  black  hair,  high  colour,  and  quick 
shallow  eyes,  bounded  here  and  there,  swift  and  active 
as  a  panther.  Seeing  him  thus,  with  his  heart  in  his 
returns,  I  could  not  but  doubt ;  more,  as  the  game  pro- 
ceeded, amid  the  laughter  and  jests  and  witty  sallies  of 
the  courtiers,  I  felt  the  doubt  grow  ;  the  riddle  became 
each  minute  more  abstruse,  the  man  more  mysterious. 
But  that  was  of  no  moment  now. 

A  little  after  four  o'clock  the  match  ended  in  my 
favour;  on  which  the  King,  tired  of  inaction,  sprang  up, 
and  declaring  that  he  would  try  Diego's  strength  himself, 
entered  the  court.  I  followed,  with  Vitry  and  others, 
and  several  strokes  which  had  been  made  were  tested 
and  discussed.  Presently,  the  King  going  to  talk  with 
Mademoiselle  at  her  window  I  remarked  the  Spaniard 
and  Maignan,  with  the  King's  marker  and  one  or  two 
others,  waiting  at  the  further  door.  Almost  at  the  same 
moment  I  observed  a  sudden  movement  among  them, 
and  voices  raised  higher  than  was  decent,  and  I  called 
out  sharply  to  know  what  it  was. 

"An  accident,  my  lord,"  one  of  the  men  answered 
respectfully. 


48         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"  It  is  nothing,"  another  muttered.  "  Maignan  was 
playing  tricks,  your  excellency,  and  cut  Diego's  hand  a 
little  ;  that  is  all." 

"Cut  his  hand  now!"  I  exclaimed  angrily.  "And 
the  King  about  to  play  with  him.      Let  me  see  it !  " 

Diego  sulkily  held  up  his  hand,  and  I  saw  a  cut,  ugly 
but  of  no  importance. 

"  Pooh  !  "  I  said  ;  "it  is  nothing.  Get  some  plaister. 
Here,  you,"  I  continued  wrathfully,  turning  to  Maignan," 
"since  you  have  done  the  mischief,  booby,  you  must 
repair  it.  Get  some  plaister,  do  you  hear  ?  He  cannot 
play  in  that  state." 

Diego  muttered  something,  and  Maignan  that  he  had 
not  got  any  ;  but  before  I  could  answer  that  he  must 
get  some,  La  Trape  thrust  his  way  to  the  front,  and 
producing  a  small  piece  from  his  pocket,  proceeded  with 
a  droll  air  of  extreme  carefulness  to  treat  the  hand. 
The  other  knaves  fell  into  the  joke,  and  the  Spaniard 
had  no  option  but  to  submit ;  though  his  scowling  face 
showed  that  he  bore  Maignan  no  good-will,  and  that  but 
for  my  presence  he  might  not  have  been  so  complaisant. 
La  Trape  was  bringing  his  surgery  to  an  end  by  demand- 
ing a  fee,  in  the  most  comical  manner  possible,  when 
the  King  returned  to  our  part  of  the  court.  "  What  is 
it  ?  "  he  said.     "  Is  anything  the  matter  ?  " 

"No,  sire,"  I  said.  "  My  man  has  cut  his  hand  a 
little,  but  it  is  nothing." 

"  Can  he  play  ?  "  Henry  asked  with  his  accustomed 
good-nature. 

"Oh,  yes,  sire,"  I  answered.      "I  have  bound  it  up 


THE    TENNIS   HALLS.  49 

with  a  strip  of  plaister  from  the  case  in  your  Majesty's 
closet." 

"  He  has  not  lost  blood  ?  " 

"  No,  sire." 

And  he  had  not.  But  it  was  small  wonder  that  the 
King  asked  ;  small  wonder,  for  the  man's  face  had 
changed  in  the  last  ten  seconds  to  a  strange  leaden 
colour ;  a  terror  like  that  of  a  wild  beast  that  sees  itself 
trapped  had  leapt  into  his  eyes.  He  shot  a  furtive 
glance  round  him,  and  I  saw  him  slide  his  hand  behind 
him.  But  I  was  prepared  for  that,  and  as  the  King 
moved  off  a  space  I  slipped  to  the  man's  side,  as  if  to 
give  him  some  directions  about  his  game. 

"Listen,"  I  said,  in  a  voice  heard  only  by  him;  "take 
the  dressing  off  your  hand,  and  I  have  you  broken  on 
the  wheel.     You  understand  ?     Now  play." 

Assuring  myself  that  he  did  understand,  and  that 
Maignan  and  La  Trape  were  at  hand  if  he  should 
attempt  anything,  I  went  back  to  my  place,  and  sitting 
down  by  De  Vic  began  to  watch  that  strange  game  ; 
while  Mademoiselle's  laughter  and  Madame  de  Lude's 
gibes  floated  across  the  court,  and  mingled  with  the 
eager  applause  and  more  dexterous  criticisms  of  the 
courtiers.  The  light  was  beginning  to  sink,  and  for  this 
reason,  perhaps,  no  one  perceived  the  Spaniard's  pallor; 
but  De  Vic,  after  a  rally  or  two,  remarked  that  he  was 
not  playing  his  full  strength. 

"  Wise  man  !  "  he  added. 

"Yes,"  I  said.  "Who  plays  well  against  kings  plays 
ill." 

E 


5o         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

De  Vic  laughed.  "  How  he  sweats  !  "  he  said,  "and 
he  never  turned  a  hair  when  he  played  Colet.  I  suppose 
he  is  nervous." 

"  Probably,"  I  said. 

And  so  they  chattered  and  laughed  —  chattered  and 
laughed,  seeing  an  ordinary  game  between  the  King  and 
a  marker;  while  I,  for  whom  the  court  had  grown  som- 
bre as  a  dungeon,  saw  a  villain  struggling  in  his  own 
toils,  livid  with  the  fear  of  death,  and  tortured  by  hor- 
rible apprehensions.  Use  and  habit  were  still  so  power- 
ful with  the  man  that  he  played  on  mechanically  with 
his  hands,  but  his  eyes  every  now  and  then  sought 
mine  with  the  look  of  the  trapped  beast  ;  and  on  these 
occasions  I  could  see  his  lips  move  in  prayer  or  cursing. 
The  sweat  poured  down  his  face  as  he  moved  to  and  fro, 
and  I  fancied  that  his  features  were  beginning  to  twitch. 
Presently  —  I  have  said  that  the  light  was  failing,  so 
that  it  was  not  in  my  imagination  only  that  the  court 
was  sombre  —  the  King  held  his  ball.  "  My  friend,  your 
man  is  not  well,"  he  said,  turning  to  me. 

"  It  is  nothing,  sire  ;  the  honour  you  do  him  makes 
him  nervous,"  I  answered.  "Play  up,  sirrah,"  I  contin- 
ued ;  "you  make  too  good  a  courtier." 

Mademoiselle  d'Entragues  clapped  her  hands  and 
laughed  at  the  hit  ;  and  I  saw  Diego  glare  at  her  with 
an  indescribable  look,  in  which  hatred  and  despair  and 
a  horror  of  reproach  were  so  nicely  mingled  with  some- 
thing as  exceptional  as  his  position,  that  the  whole 
baffled  words.  Doubtless  the  gibes  and  laughter  he 
heard,  the  trifling  that  went  on   round   him,  the    very 


THE   TENNIS  BALLS.  $r 

game  in  which  he  was  engaged,  and  from  which  he 
dared  not  draw  back,  seemed  in  his  eyes  the  most  appall- 
ing mockery ;  but,  ignorant  who  were  in  the  secret, 
unable  to  guess  how  his  diabolical  plot  had  been  dis- 
covered, uncertain  even  whether  the  whole  were  not  a 
concerted  piece,  he  went  on  playing  his  part  mechani- 
cally ;  with  starting  eyes  and  labouring  chest,  and  lips 
that,  twitching  and  working,  lost  colour  each  minute. 
At  length  he  missed  a  stroke,  and  staggering  leaned 
against  the  wall,  his  face  livid  and  ghastly.  The  King 
took  the  alarm  at  that,  and  cried  out  that  something 
was  wrong.  Those  who  were  sitting  rose.  I  nodded  to 
Maignan  to  go  to  the  man. 

"It  is  a  fit,"  I  said.  "He  is  subject  to  them,  and 
doubtless  the  excitement  —  but  I  am  sorry  that  it  has 
spoiled  your  Majesty's  game." 

"It  has  not,"  Henry  answered  kindly.  "The  light 
is  gone.  But  have  him  looked  to,  will  you,  my  friend? 
If  La  Riviere  were  here  he  might  do  something  for  him." 

While  he  spoke,  the  servants  had  gathered  round  the 
man,  but  with  the  timidity  which  characterises  that  class 
in  such  emergencies,  they  would  not  touch  him.  As  I 
crossed  the  court,  and  they  made  way  for  me,  the  Span- 
iard, who  was  still  standing,  though  in  a  strange  and 
distorted  fashion,  turned  his  bloodshot  eyes  on  me. 

"A  priest!"  he  muttered,  framing  the  words  with 
difficulty,  "a  priest  !  " 

I  directed  Maignan  to  fetch  one.  "  And  do  you,"  I 
continued  to  the  other  servants,  "take  him  into  a  room 
somewhere." 


52 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 


They  obeyed  reluctantly.  As  they  carried  him  out, 
the  King,  content  with  my  statement,  was  giving  his 
hand  to  Mademoiselle  to  descend  the  stairs  ;  and  neither 


4S. 


*♦■ 


AT  LENGTH  HE  MISSED  A  STROKE 


he  nor  any,  save  the  two  men  in  my  confidence,  had  the 
slightest  suspicion  that  aught  was  the  matter  beyond  a 
natural   illness.     But    I   shuddered  when   I   considered 


THE   TENNIS   HALLS.  53 

how  narrow  had  been  the  King's  escape,  how  trifling 
the  circumstance  which  had  led  to  suspicion,  how  fortui- 
tous the  inspiration  by  which  I  had  chanced  on  discov- 
ery. The  delay  of  a  single  day,  the  occurrence  of  the 
slightest  mishap,  might  have  been  fatal  not  to  him  only 
but  to  the  best  interests  of  France  ;  which  his  death  at 
a  time  when  he  was  still  childless  must  have  plunged 
into  the  most  melancholy  of  wars. 

Of  the  wretched  Spaniard  I  need  say  little  more. 
Caught  in  his  own  snare,  he  was  no  sooner  withdrawn 
from  the  court  than  he  fell  into  violent  convulsions, 
which  held  him  until  midnight;  when  he  died  with 
symptoms  and  under  circumstances  so  nearly  resem- 
bling those  which  had  attended  the  death  of  Madame 
de  Beaufort  at  Easter,  that  I  have  several  times 
dwelt  on  the  strange  coincidence,  and  striven  to  find 
the  connecting  link.  Bat  I  never  hit  on  it  ;  and  the 
King's  death,  and  that  unexplained  tendency  to  imitate 
great  crimes  under  which  the  vulgar  labour,  prevailed 
with  me  to  keep  the  matter  secret.  Nay,  as  I  believed 
that  d'Evora  had  played  the  part  of  an  unconscious 
tool,  and  as  a  hint  pressed  home  sufficed  to  procure  the 
withdrawal  of  the  chaplain  whom  Maignan  had  named, 
I  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  disclose  the  matter  even 
to  the  King  my  master. 


TWO   MAYORS   OF   BOTTITORT. 


III. 

TWO    MAYORS    OF   BOTTITORT. 

Believing  that  I  have  now  set  down  all  those  par- 
ticulars of  the  treaty  with  Epernon  and  the  consequent 
pacification  of  Brittany  in  the  year  1598  which  it  will 
be  of  advantage  to  the  public  to  know,  that  it  may  the 
better  distinguish  in  the  future  those  who  have  selfishly 
impoverished  the  State  from  those  who,  in  its  behalf, 
have  incurred  obloquy  and  high  looks,  I  proceed  next 
to  the  events  which  followed  the  King's  return  to  Paris. 

But,  first,  and  by  way  of  sampling  the  diverting  epi- 
sodes that  will  occur  from  time  to  time  in  the  most 
laborious  existence,  and  for  the  moment  reduce  the 
minister  to  the  level  of  the  man,  I  am  tempted  to  nar- 
rate an  adventure  that  befell  me  on  my  return,  between 
Rennes  and  Vitre  ;  when  the  King  having  preceded 
me  at  speed  under  the  pretext  of  urgency,  but  really 
that  he  might  avoid  the  prolix  addresses  that  awaited 
him  in  every  town,  I  found  myself  no  more  minded  to 
suffer.  Having  sacrificed  my  ease,  therefore,  in  two 
of  the  more  important  places,  and  come  within  as  many 
stages  of  Vitre,  I  determined  also  on  a  holiday.  Ac- 
cordingly, directing  my  baggage  and  the  numerous 
escort  and  suite  that  attended  me — to  the  full  tale  of 

57 


58         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

four-score  horses  —  to  keep  the  high  road,  I  struck  my- 
self  into  a  byway,  intending  to  seek  hospitality  for  the 
night  at  a  house  of  M.  de  Laval's  ;  and  on  the  second 
evening  to  render  myself  with  a  good  grace  to  the  eu- 
logia  and  tedious  mercies  of  the  Vitre  townfolk. 

I  kept  with  me  only  La  Font  and  two  servants.  The 
day  was  fine,  and  the  air  brisk  ;  the  country  open,  afford- 
ing many  distant  prospects  which  the  sun  rendered 
cheerful.  We  rode  for  some  time,  therefore,  with  the 
gaiety  of  schoolboys  released  from  their  tasks,  and  din- 
ing at  noon  in  the  lee  of  one  of  the  great  boulders  that 
there  dot  the  plain,  took  pleasure  in  applying  to  the  life 
of  courts  every  evil  epithet  that  came  to  mind.  For  a 
little  time  afterwards  we  rode  as  cheerfully  ;  but  about 
three  in  the  afternoon  the  sky  became  overcast,  and 
almost  at  the  same  moment  we  discovered  that  we  had 
strayed  from  the  track.  The  country  in  that  district 
resembles  the  more  western  parts  of  Brittany  in  con- 
sisting of  huge  tracts  of  bog  and  moorland  strewn  with 
rocks  and  covered  with  gorse ;  which  present  a  cheerful 
aspect  in  sunshine,  but  are  savage  and  barren  to  a 
degree  when  viewed  through  sheets  of  rain  or  under  a 
sombre  sky. 

The  position,  therefore,  was  not  without  its  discom- 
forts. I  had  taken  care  to  choose  a  servant  who  was 
familiar  with  the  country,  but  his  knowledge  seemed 
now  at  fault.  However,  under  his  direction  we  re- 
traced our  steps,  but  still  without  regaining  the  road  ; 
and  as  a  small  rain  presently  began  to  fall  and  the  day 
to  decline,  the   landscape  which    in    the    morning   had 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  59 

flaunted  of  a  wild  and  rugged  beauty,  changed  to  a 
brown  and  dreary  waste  set  here  and  there  with  ghost- 
like stones.  Once  astray  on  this,  we  found  our  path 
beset  with  sloughs  and  morasses  ;  among  which  we  saw 
every  prospect  of  passing  the  night,  when  La  Font 
espied  at  a  little  distance  a  wind-swept  wood  that, 
clothing  a  low  shoulder  of  the  moor,  promised  at  least 
a  change  and  shelter.  We  made  towards  it,  and  dis- 
covered not  only  all  that  we  had  expected  to  see,  but  a 
path  and  a  guide. 

The  latter  was  as  much  surprised  to  see  us  as  we  to 
see  her,  for  when  we  came  upon  her  she  was  sitting  on 
the  bank  beside  the  path  weeping  bitterly.  On  hear- 
ing us,  however,  she  sprang  up  and  discovered  the  form 
of  a  young  girl,  barefoot  and  bareheaded,  wearing  only 
a  short  ragged  frock  of  homespun.  Nevertheless,  her 
face  was  neither  stupid  nor  uncomely ;  and  though,  at 
the  first  alarm,  supposing  us  to  be  either  robbers  or 
hobgoblins — of  which  last  the  people  of  that  country 
are  peculiarly  fearful  —  she  made  as  if  she  would  escape 
across  the  moor,  she  stopped  as  soon  as  she  heard  my 
voice.     I  asked  her  gently  where  we  were. 

At  first  she  did  not  understand,  but  the  servant  who 
had  played  the  guide  so  ill,  speaking  to  her  in  the  patois 
of  the  country,  she  answered  that  we  were  near  St. 
Brieuc,  a  hamlet  not  far  from  Bottitort,  and  consider- 
ably off  our  road.  Asked  how  far  it  was  to  Bottitort, 
she  answered  —  between  two  and  three  leagues,  and 
an  indifferent  road. 

We  could  ride  the  distance  in  a  couple  of  hours,  and 


60         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

there  remained  almost  as  much  daylight.  But  the 
horses  were  tired,  so,  resigning  myself  to  the  prospect 
of  some  discomfort,  I  asked  her  if  there  was  an  inn  at 
St.  Brieuc. 

"  A  poor  place  for  your  honours,"  she  answered,  star- 
ing at  us  in  innocent  wonder,  the  forgotten  tears  not 
dry  on  her  cheeks. 


ASKED   HOW   FAR   IT  WAS  TO   BOTTITORT 

"Never  mind  ;  take  us  to  it,"  I  answered. 

She  turned  at  the  word  and  tripped  on  before  us.  I 
bade  the  servant  ask  her,  as  we  went,  why  she  had  been 
crying,  and  learned  through  him  that  she  had  been  to 
her  uncle's  two  leagues  away  to  borrow  money  for  her 
mother  ;  that  the  uncle  would  not  lend  it,  and  that  now 
they  would  be  turned  out  of  their  house  ;  that  her  father 


TWO  MAYORS   OF  BOTTITORT.  6 1 

was  lately  dead,  and  that  her  mother  kept  the  inn,  and 
owed  the  money  for  meal  and  cider. 

"  At  least,  she  says  that  she  does  not  owe  it,"  the 
man  corrected  himself,  "for  her  father  paid  as  usual  at 
Corpus  Christi ;  but  after  his  death  M.  Grabot  said  that 
he  had  not  paid,  and " 

"  M.  Grabot  ?"   I  said.      "  Who  is  he  ?" 

"The  Mayor  of  Bottitort." 

"The  creditor?" 

"Yes." 

"And  how  much  is  owing?  "   I  asked. 

"  Nothing,  she  says." 

"  But  how  much  does  he  say  ?  " 

"Twenty  crowns." 

Doubtless  some  will  view  my  conduct  on  this  occasion 
with  surprise  ;  and  wonder  why  I  troubled  myself  with 
inquiries  so  minute  upon  a  matter  so  mean.  But  these 
do  not  consider  that  ministers  are  the  King's  eyes  ;  and 
that  in  a  State  no  class  is  so  unimportant  that  it  can  be 
safely  overlooked.  Moreover,  as  the  settlement  of  the 
finances  was  one  of  the  objects  of  my  stay  in  those 
parts  —  and  I  seldom  had  the  opportunity  of  checking 
the  statements  made  to  me  by  the  farmers  and  lessees 
of  the  taxes,  the  receivers,  gatherers,  and,  in  a  word,  all 
the  corrupt  class  that  imparts  such  views  of  a  province 
as  suit  its  interests,—  I  was  glad  to  learn  anything  that 
threw  light  on  the  real  condition  of  the  country  :  the 
more,  as  I  had  to  receive  at  Vitre  a  deputation  of  the 
notables  and  officials  of  the  district. 

Accordingly,  I  continued  to  put  questions  to  her  until, 


62         MEMOIRS   OF  A    MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

crossing  a  ridge,  we  came  at  last  within  sight  of  the 
inn,  a  lonely  house  of  stone,  standing  in  the  hollow  of 
the  moor  and  sheltered  on  one  side  by  a  few  gnarled 
trees  that  took  off  in  a  degree  from  the  bleakness  of  its 
aspect.  The  house  was  of  one  story  only,  with  a  win- 
dow on  either  side  of  the  door,  and  no  other  appeared  in 
sight  ;  but  a  little  smoke  rising  from  the  chimney  seemed 
to  promise  abetter  reception  than  the  desolate  landscape 
and  the  girl's  scanty  dress  had  led  us  to  expect. 

As  we  drew  nearer,  however,  a  thing  happened  so 
remarkable  as  to  draw  our  attention  in  a  moment  from 
all  these  points,  and  bring  us,  gaping,  to  a  standstill. 
The  shutters  of  the  two  windows  were  suddenly  closed 
before  our  eyes  with  a  clap  that  came  sharply  on  the 
wind.  Then,  in  a  twinkling,  one  window  flew  open 
again  and  a  man,  seemingly  naked,  bounded  from  it, 
fled  with  inconceivable  rapidity  across  the  front  of  the 
house  and  vanished  through  the  other  window,  which 
opened  to  receive  him.  He  had  scarcely  gained  that 
shelter  before  a  coal-black  figure  followed  him,  leaping 
out  of  the  one  window  and  in  at  the  other  with  the  same 
astonishing  swiftness — a  swiftness  which  was  so  great 
that  before  any  of  us  could  utter  more  than  an  exclama- 
tion, the  two  figures  appeared  again  round  the  corner 
of  the  house,  in  the  same  order,  but  this  time  with  so 
small  an  interval  that  the  fugitive  barely  saved  himself 
through  the  window.  Once  more,  while  we  stared  in 
stupefaction,  they  flashed  out  and  in  ;  and  this  time  it 
seemed  to  me  that  as  they  vanished  the  black  spectre 
seized  its  victim. 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  63 

When  I  say  that  all  this  time  the  two  figures  uttered 
no  sound,  that  there  was  no  other  living  being  in  sight, 
and  that  on  every  side  of  the  solitary  house  the  moor, 
growing  each  minute  more  eerie  as  the  day  waned, 
spread  to  the  horizon,  the  more  superstitious  among  us 
may  be  pardoned  if  they  gave  way  to  their  fears.  La 
Font  was  the  first  to  speak. 

" Mon  Dicu!"  he  cried  —  while  the  girl  moaned  in 
terror,  the  Breton  crossed  himself,  and  La  Trape  looked 
uncomfortable  —  "  the  place  is  bewitched  !  " 

"  Nonsense  !  "  I  said.     "  Who  is  in  the  house,  girl  ?  " 

"  Only  my  mother,"  she  wailed.  "  Oh,  my  poor 
mother  ! " 

I  silenced  her,  scolding  them  all  for  fools,  and  her 
first ;  and  La  Font,  recovering  himself,  did  the  same. 
But  this  was  the  year  of  that  strange  appearance  of  the 
spectre  horseman  at  Fontainebleau  of  which  so  much 
has  been  said ;  and  my  servants,  when  we  had  ap- 
proached the  house  a  little  nearer,  and  it  still  remained 
silent  and,  as  it  were,  dead  to  the  eye,  would  go  no  far- 
ther, but  stood  in  sheer  terror  and  permitted  me  to  go 
on  alone  with  La  Font.  I  confess  that  the  loneliness 
of  the  house,  and  the  dreary  waste  that  surrounded  it 
(which  seemed  to  exclude  the  idea  of  trickery)  were  not 
without  their  effect  on  my  spirits  ;  and  that  as  I  dis- 
mounted and  approached  the  door,  I  felt  a  kind  of  chill 
not  remarkable  under  the  circumstances. 

But  the  courage  of  the  gentleman  differs  from  that  of 
the  vulgar  in  that  he  fears  yet  goes  ;  and  I  lifted  the 
latch,  and  entered  boldly.     The  scene  which  met    my 


64        MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

eyes  inside  was  sufficiently  commonplace  to  reassure 
me.  At  the  farther  end  of  a  long-  bare  room,  draughty, 
half-lighted,  and  having  an  earthen  floor,  yet  possessing 
that  air  of  homeliness  which  a  wood  fire  never  fails  to 
impart,  sat  a  single  traveller ;  who  had  drawn  his  small 
table  under  the  open  chimney,  and  there,  with  his  feet 
almost  in  the  fire,  was  partaking  of  a  poor  meal  of  black 
bread  and  onions.  He  was  a  tall,  spare  man,  with  slop- 
ing shoulders  and  a  long  sour  face,  of  which,  as  I 
entered,  he  gave  me  the  full  benefit. 

I  looked  round  the  room,  but  look  as  I  might  I  could 
see  no  one  else,  nor  anything  that  explained  what  we 
had  witnessed  ;  and  I  accosted  the  man  civilly,  wishing 
him  good  evening.  He  made  an  answer,  but  indistinctly, 
and,  this  done,  went  on  with  his  meal  like  one  who 
viewed  our  arrival  with  little  pleasure  ;  while  I,  puzzled 
and  astonished  by  the  ordinary  look  of  things  and  the 
stillness  of  the  house,  affected  to  warm  my  feet  at  the 
logs.  At  length,  espying  no  signs  of  disturbance  any- 
where, I  asked  him  if  he  was  alone. 
"  I  was,  sir,"  he  answered  gravely. 
I  was  going  on  to  tell  him,  though  reluctantly,  what 
we  had  seen  outside,  and  to  question  him  upon  it,  when 
on  a  sudden,  before  I  could  speak  again,  he  leaned 
towards  me  and  accosted  me  with  startling  abruptness. 
"  Sir,"  he  said,  "  I  should  like  to  have  your  opinion  of 
Louis  Eleven." 

I  stared  at  him  in  the  most  perfect  astonishment  ;  and 
was  for  a  moment  so  completely  taken  aback  that  I  me- 
chanically repeated  his  words.     For  answer  he  did  so  also. 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  65 

"The  Eleventh  Louis?"  I  said. 

"Yes,"  he  rejoined,  turning  his  pale  visage  full  upon 
me.  "What  is  your  opinion  of  him,  sir?  He  was  a 
man? " 

"Well,"  I  said,  shrugging  my  shoulders,  "I  take  that 
for  granted."  I  began  to  think  that  the  traveller  was 
demented. 

"And  a  king?" 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  so,"  I  answered  contemptuously. 
"  I  never  heard  it  doubted." 

He  leaned  towards  me,  and  spoke  with  the  most  eager 
impressiveness.  "A  man  —  and  a  king!"  he  said. 
"  Yet  neither  a  manly  king,  nor  a  kingly  man  !  You 
take  me  ? " 

"Yes,"  I  said  impatiently.     "I  see  what  you  mean." 

"Neither  a  kingly  man,  nor  a  manly  king!"  he 
repeated  with  solemn  gusto.  "  You  take  me  clearly, 
I  think?" 

I  had  no  stomach  for  further  fooleries,  and  I  was 
about  to  answer  him  with  some  sharpness  —  though  I 
could  not  for  the  life  of  me  tell  whether  he  was  mad  or 
an  eccentric  —  when  a  harsh  voice  shrieked  in  my  ear, 
"  Boh !  "  and  in  a  twinkling  a  red  figure  appeared 
bounding  and  whirling  in  the  middle  of  the  kitchen  ; 
now  springing  into  the  air  until  its  head  touched  the 
rafters,  now  eddying  round  and  round  the  floor  in  the 
giddiest  gyrations.  At  the  first  glance,  startled  by 
the  voice  in  my  ear,  I  recoiled  ;  but  a  second  disclosing 
what  it  was,  and  the  secret  of  our  alarm  outside,  I 
masked  my  movement ;  and  when  the  man  brought  his 


66         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

performance  to  a  sudden  stop,  and  falling  on  one  knee 
in  an  attitude  of  exaggerated  respect  held  out  his  cap,  I 
was  ready  for  him. 

"Why,  you  knave,"  I  said,  "you  should  be  whipped, 
not  rewarded.  Who  gave  you  leave  to  play  pranks  on 
travellers  ? " 

He  looked  at  me  with  a  droll  smile  on  his  round 
merry  face,  which  at  its  gravest  was  a  thing  to  laugh  at. 
"Let  him  whip  who  is  scared,"  he  said,  with  roguish 
impudence.  "  Or  if  there  is  to  be  whipping,  my  lord, 
whip  Louis  XL" 

Thus  reminded,  I  turned  to  the  solemn  traveller ;  but 
my  eyes  had  no  sooner  met  his  than  he  twisted  his 
visage  into  so  wry  a  smile  —  if  smile  it  could  be  called 
—  that  wherever  there  was  a  horse  collar  he  must  have 
won  the  prize.  To  hide  my  amusement,  I  asked  them 
what  they  were.     "  Mountebanks  ?  "  I  said  curtly. 

"Your  lordship  has  pricked  the  garter  offhand,"  the 
merry  man  answered  cheerfully.  "  You  see  before  you 
the  renowned  Pierre  Paladin  —  voila  !  —  and  Philibert 
Le  Grand!  of  the  Breton  fairs,  monsieur." 

"But  why  this  foolery  —  here?"  I  said. 

"We  took  you  for  another,  monsieur,"  he  answered. 

"  Whom  you  intended  to  frighten  ?  " 

"Precisely,  your  grace." 

"Well,  you  are  nice  rogues,"   I  said,  looking  at  him. 

"  So  is  he,"  he  answered,  undaunted. 

I  left  the  matter  there  for  a  moment,  while  I  sum- 
moned La  Font  and  the  servants  ;  whose  rage,  when, 
entering   a-tiptoe    and  with    some    misgiving,  they  dis- 


TWO   MAYORS   OF  BOTTITORT.  67 

covered  how  they  had  been  deceived,  and  by  whom, 
was  scarcely  to  be  restrained  even  by  my  presence. 
However,  aided  by  Philibert's  comicalities,  I  presently 
secured  a  truce,  and  the  two  strollers  vacating  in  my 
honour  the  table  by  the  fire  —  though  they  had  not  the 
slightest  notion  who  I  was  —  we  were  soon  on  terms. 
I  had  taken  the  precaution  to  bring  a  meal  with  me,  and 
while  La  Trape  and  his  companion  unpacked  it,  and  I 
dried  my  riding  boots,  I  asked  the  players  who  it  was 
they  had  meant  to  frighten. 

They  were  not  very  willing  to  tell  me,  but  at  length 
confessed,  to  my  astonishment,  that  it  was  M.  Grabot. 

"  Grabot  —  Grabot!"  I  said,  striving  to  recollect 
where  I  had  heard  the  name.  "The  Mayor  of 
Bottitort  ? " 

The  solemn  man  made  an  atrocious  grimace.  Then, 
"  Yes,  monsieur,  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort,"  he  said  frankly. 
"  A  year  ago  he  put  Philibert  in  the  stocks  for  a  riddle ; 
that  is  his  affair.  And  the  woman  of  this  house  has 
more  than  once  befriended  me,  and  he  is  for  turning  her 
out  for  a  debt  she  does  not  owe ;  and  that  is  my  affair. 
However,  your  lordship's  arrival  has  saved  him  for  this 
time." 

"  You  expected  him  here  this  evening,  then  ? " 

"  He  is  coming,"  he  answered,  with  more  than  his 
usual  gloom.  "  He  passed  this  way  this  morning,  and 
announced  that  on  his  return  he  should  spend  the  night 
here.  We  found  the  goodwife  all  of  a  tremble  when  we 
arrived.  He  is  a  hard  man,  monsieur,"  the  mountebank 
continued  bitterly.     "  She  cried  after  him  that  she  hoped 


68         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

that  God  would  change  his  heart,  but  he  only  answered 
that  even  if  St.  Brieuc  changed  his  body  —  you  know 
the  legend,  monseigneur,  doubtless  —  he  should  be  here." 

"And  here  he  is,"  the  other,  who  had  been  looking 
out  of  one  of  the  windows,  cried.  "  I  see  his  lanthorn 
coming  down  the  hill.  And  by  St.  Brieuc,  I  have  it ! 
I  have  it,"  the  droll  continued,  suddenly  spinning  round 
in  a  wild  dance  of  triumph  on  the  floor,  and  then  as 
suddenly  stopping  and  falling  into  an  attitude  before  us. 
"  Monsieur,  if  you  will  help  us,  I  have  the  richest  jest 
ever  played.  Pierre,  listen.  You,  gentlemen  all,  listen ! 
We  will  pretend  that  he  is  changed.  He  is  a  pompous 
man ;  he  thinks  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort  equal  to  the 
Saint  Fere.  Well,  Pierre  shall  be  M.  Grabot,  Mayor 
of  Bottitort.  You,  monsieur,  that  we  may  give  him 
enough  of  mayors,  shall  be  the  Mayor  of  Gol,  and  I  will 
be  the  Mayor  of  St.  Just.  This  gentleman  shall  swear 
to  us,  so  shall  the  servants.  For  him,  he  does  not  exist. 
Oh,  we  will  punish  him  finely." 

"But,"  I  said,  astounded  by  the  very  audacity  of  the 
rogue's  proposition,  "you  do  not  flatter  yourself  that  you 
will  deceive  him  ?" 

"We  shall,  monsieur,  if  you  will  help,"  he  answered 
confidently.     "I  will  be  warrant  for  it  we  shall." 

The  thing  had  little  of  dignity  in  it,  and  I  wonder  now 
that  I  complied  ;  but  I  have  always  shared  with  the 
King,  my  master,  a  taste  for  drolleries  of  the  kind  sug- 
gested ;  while  nothing  that  I  had  as  yet  heard  of  this 
Grabot  was  of  a  nature  to  induce  me  to  spare  him. 
Seeing  that  La  Font  was  tickled  with  the  idea,  and  that 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  69 

the  servants  were  a-grin,  and  the  more  eager  to  trick 
others  as  they  had  just  been  tricked  themselves,  I  was 
tempted  to  consent. 

After  this,  the  preparations  took  not  a  minute.  Phil- 
ibert  covered  his  fool's  clothes  with  a  cloak,  and  their 
table  was  drawn  nearer  to  the  fire,  so  as,  with  mine,  to 
take  up  the  whole  hearth.  La  Trape  fell  into  an  atti- 
tude behind  me  ;  and  the  Breton,  adopting  a  refinement 
suggested  at  the  last  moment,  was  sent  out  to  intercept 
Grabot  before  he  entered,  and  tell  him  that  the  inn  was 
full,  and  that  he  had  better  pass  on. 

The  knave  did  his  business  so  well  that  Grabot,  being 
just  such  a  man  as  the  strollers  had  described  to  us,  the 
altercation  on  the  threshold  was  of  itself  the  most 
amusing  thing  in  the  world.  "Who? "  we  heard  a  loud, 
coarse  voice  exclaim.     "  Who  d'ye  say  are  here,  man  ? " 

"  The  Mayor  of  Bottitort." 

"Millediables!" 

"The  Mayor  of  Bottitort  and  the  Mayors  of  Gol  and 
St.  Just,"  the  servant  repeated,  as  if  he  noticed  noth- 
ing amiss. 

"That  is  a  lie  !  "  the  new  comer  replied,  with  a  snort 
of  triumph,  "and  an  impudent  one.  But  you  have  got 
the  wrong  sow  by  the  ear  this  time." 

"Why,  man,"  a  third  voice,  somewhat  nasal  and  rus- 
tical, struck  in,  "don't  you  know  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort  ? " 

"  I  should,"  my  Breton  answered  bluntly,  and  making, 
as  we  guessed,  a  stand  before  them.  "  For  I  am  his 
servant,  and  he  is  this  moment  at  his  meat." 

"  The  Mayor  of  Bottitort  ?  " 


jo         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

''Yes." 

"M.  Grabot?" 

-Yes." 

"  And  you  are  his  servant  ?  " 

"  I  have  thought  so  for  some  time,"  the  Breton  an- 
swered contemptuously. 

The  Mayor  fairly  roared  in  his  indignation.  "  You 
—  his  servant!  The  Mayor  of  Bottitort's  ? "  he  cried 
in  a  voice  of  thunder.  "  I'll  tell  you  what  you  are  ;  you 
are  a  liar!  —  a  liar,  man,  that  is  what  you  are!  Why, 
you  fool,  I  am  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort  myself.  Now,  do 
you  see  how  you  have  wasted  yourself  ?  Out  of  my 
way!  Jehan,  follow  me  in.  I  shall  look  into  this. 
There  is  some  knavery  here,  but  if  Simon  Grabot  can- 
not get  to  the  bottom  of  it  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort  will. 
Follow  me,  I  say.     My  servant  indeed?    Come,  come  !  " 

And,  still  grumbling,  he  flung  open  the  door,  which 
the  Breton  had  left  ajar,  and  stalked  in  upon  us,  fuming 
and  blowing  out  his  cheeks  for  all  the  world  like  a  ban- 
tam cock  with  its  feathers  erect.  He  was  a  short,  pursy 
man  ;  with  a  short  nose,  a  wide  face,  and  small  eyes. 
But  had  he  been  Caesar  and  Alexander  rolled  into  one, 
he  could  not  have  crossed  the  threshold  with  a  more 
tremendous  assumption  of  dignity.  Once  inside,  he 
stood  and  glared  at  us,  somewhat  taken  aback,  I  think, 
for  the  moment  by  our  numbers  ;  but  recovering  him- 
self almost  immediately,  he  strutted  towards  us,  and, 
without  uncovering  or  saluting  us,  he  asked  in  a  deep 
voice  who  was  responsible  for  the  man  outside. 

"  I  am,  sir,"  the  graver  mountebank  answered,  look- 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  yi 

ing  at  the  stranger  with  a  sober  air  of  surprise.  "  He 
is  my  servant." 

"Ah  !  "  the  Mayor  exclaimed,  with  a  withering  glance. 
"And  who,  may  I  ask,  are  you  ? " 

"  You  may  ask,  certainly,"  the  player  answered  drily. 
"But  until  you  take  off  your  hat  I  shall  not  answer." 

The  Mayor  gasped  at  this  rebuff,  and  turned,  if  it 
were  possible,  a  shade  redder ;  but  he  uncovered. 

"Now  I  do  not  mind  telling  you,"  Pierre  continued, 
with  a  mild  dignity  admirably  assumed,  "that  I  am 
Simon  Grabot,  and  have  the  honour  to  be  Mayor  of 
Bottitort." 

"You!" 

"Yes,  monsieur,  I  ;  though  perhaps  unworthy." 

I  looked  to  see  an  explosion,  but  the  Mayor  was  too 
far  gone.  "Why,  you  swindling  impostor,"  he  said,  with 
something  that  was  almost  admiration  in  his  tone. 
"  You  are  the  very  prince  of  cheats  !  The  king  of  coz- 
eners! But  for  all  that,  let  me  tell  you,  you  have  chosen 
the  wrong  role  this  time.  For  I  —  I,  sir,  am  the  Mayor 
of  Bottitort,  the  very  man  whose  name  you  have  taken!" 

Pierre  stared  at  him  in  composed  silence,  which  his 
comrade  was  the  first  to  break.  "  Is  he  mad  ?  "  he  said 
in  a  low  voice. 

The  grave  man  shook  his  head. 

The  Mayor  heard  and  saw  ;  and  getting  no  other 
answer,  began  to  tremble  between  passion  and  a  natu- 
ral, though  ill-defined,  misgiving,  which  the  silent  gaze 
of  so  large  a  party  —  for  we  all  looked  at  him  compas- 
sionately—  was  well  calculated  to    produce.     "Mad?" 


72         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

he  cried.  "  No,  but  some  one  is.  Sir,"  he  continued, 
turning  to  La  Font  with  a  gesture  in  which  appeal  and 
impatience  were  curiously  blended,  "  do  you  know  this 
man  ?" 

"I,  Grabot?  Certainly,"  he  answered,  without  blush- 
ing.    "And  have  these  ten  years." 

"  And  you  say  that  he  is  M.  Grabot  ?  "  the  poor  Mayor 
retorted,  his  jaw  falling  ludicrously. 

"  Certainly.     Who  should  he  be  ?  " 

The  Mayor  looked  round  him,  sudden  beads  of  sweat 
on  his  brow.  "  Mon  Dieu  !  "  he  cried.  "  You  are  all  in 
it.     Here,  you,  do  you  know  this  person  ?" 

La  Trape,  to  whom  he  addressed  himself,  shrugged 
his  shoulders.  "I  should,"  he  said.  "The  Mayor  is 
pretty  well  known  about  here." 

"The  Mayor?" 

"Ay." 

"But  I  am  the  Mayor  —  I,"  Grabot  answered  eagerly, 
tapping  himself  on  the  breast  in  the  most  absurd  man- 
ner.    "  Don't  you  know  me,  my  friend  ? " 

"  I  never  saw  you  before,  to  my  knowledge,"  the  ras- 
cal answered  contemptuously  ;  "  and  I  know  this  country 
pretty  well.  I  should  think  that  you  have  been  cross- 
ing St.  Brieuc's  brook,  and  forgotten  to  say  your— — " 

"  Hush  ! "  the  stout  player  interposed  with  some 
sharpness.  "  Let  him  alone.  Lc  bon  Dieu  knows  that 
such  a  thing  may  happen  to  the  best  of  us." 

The  Mayor  clapped  his  hand  to  his  head.  "  Sir,"  he 
said  almost  humbly,  addressing  the  last  speaker,  "  I 
seem  to  know  your  voice.     Your  name,  if  you  please  ?  " 


"But  I  am  the  Mayor 


Tiro  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  73 

"Fracasse,"  he  answered  pleasantly.  "I  am  Mayor 
of  Gol." 

"  You  —  Fracasse,  Mayor  of  Gol  ?  "  Grabot  exclaimed 
between  rage  and  terror.  "  But  Fracasse  is  a  tall  man. 
I  know  him  as  well  as  I  know  my  brother." 

The  pseudo-Fracasse  smiled,  but  did  not  contradict 
him. 

The  Mayor  wiped  the  moisture  from  his  brow.  He 
had  all  the  characteristics  of  an  obstinate  man  ;  but  if 
there  is  one  thing  which  I  have  found  in  a  long  career 
more  true  than  another,  it  is  that  no  one  can  resist  the 
statements  of  his  fellows.  So  much,  I  verily  believe, 
is  this  the  case,  that  if  ten  men  maintain  black  to  be 
white,  the  eleventh  will  presently  be  brought  into  their 
opinion.  Besides,  the  Mayor  had  a  currish  side.  He 
looked  piteously  from  one  to  another  of  us,  his  cheeks 
seemed  to  grow  in  a  moment  pale  and  flabby,  and  he 
was  on  the  point  of  whimpering,  when  at  the  last 
moment  he  bethought  him  of  »his  servant,  and  turned 
to  him  in  a  spurt  of  sudden  thankfulness.  "Why, 
Jehan,  man,  I  had  forgotten  you,"  he  said.  "Are 
these  men  mad,  or  am  I  ? " 

But  Jehan,  a  simple  rustic,  was  in  a  state  of  ludicrous 
bewilderment.  "  Dol,  master,  I  don't  know,"  he  stut- 
tered, rubbing  his  head. 

"But  I  am  myself,"  the  Mayor  cried,  in  a  most  ridicu- 
lous tone  of  remonstrance. 

"  Dol,  and  I  don't  know,"  the  man  whimpered.  "  I 
do  believe  that  there  is  a  change  in  you.  I  never  saw 
you  look  the  like  before.     And  I  never  said  any  pater 


74 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 


either.  Holy  saints  ! "  the  poor  fool  continued  piteously, 
"  I  wish  I  were  at  home.  And  there,  for  all  I  know,  my 
wife  has  got  another  man." 


/% 


^ 


HE  SAT   DOWN   ON  AN   OLD  BOX 


He  began  to  blubber  at  this  ;  which  to  us  was  the 
most  ludicrous  thought,  so  that  it  was  all  we  could  do 
to  restrain  our  laughter.  But  the  Mayor  saw  things  in 
another   light.     Shaken    by  our    steady  persistence    in 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  75 

our  story,  and  astounded  by  our  want  of  respect,  the 
defection  of  his  follower  utterly  cowed  him.  After 
staring  wildly  about  for  a  moment,  he  fairly  turned  tail, 
and  sat  down  on  an  old  box  by  the  door,  where  with  his 
hands  on  his  knees,  he  looked  out  before  him  with  such 
an  expression  of  chap-fallen  bewilderment  as  nearly  dis- 
covered our  plot  by  throwing  us  into  fits  of  laughter. 

Still  he  was  not  persuaded  ;  for,  from  time  to  time, 
he  roused  himself,  and  lifting  his  head  cast  suspicious 
glances  at  our  party.  But  the  two  strollers,  who  were 
now  in  their  element,  played  their  parts  with  so  much 
craft  and  delicacy,  and  with  such  an  infinity  of  humour 
besides,  that  everything  he  overheard  plunged  him  deeper 
in  the  slough.  They  knew  something  of  local  affairs,  and 
called  one  another  Mayor  very  naturally;  and  mentioning 
their  wives,  let  drop  other  scraps  of  information  that, 
catching  his  ear,  made  the  wretched  man  every  now  and 
then  sit  up  as  if  a  wasp  had  stung  him.  One  story  in 
particular  which  the  false  Mayor  told  —  and  which,  it 
appeared,  was  to  the  knowledge  of  all  the  country  round 
the  real  Mayor's  stock  anecdote  —  had  an  absurd  effect 
upon  him.  He  straightened  himself,  listened  as  if  his 
life  depended  upon  it,  and  when  he  heard  the  well-known 
ending,  uttered,  doubtless,  in  something  of  his  old  tone, 
he  collapsed  into  himself  like  a  man  who  had  no  longer 
faith  in  anything. 

Presently,  however,  an  effort  of  common-sense  would 
again  disperse  the  fog.  He  would  raise  his  head,  his 
eye  grow  bright,  something  of  his  old  pugnacity  would 
come  back  to  him.     He  would  appear  — this  more  than 


76         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

once  — to  be  on  the  point  of  rising  to  challenge  us. 
But  these  occasions  were  as  skilfully  met  as  they  were 
easily  detected  ;  and  as  the  rogues  had  invariably  some 
stroke  in  reserve  that  in  a  twinkling  flung  him  back  into 
his  old  state  of  dazed  bewilderment,  while  it  well-nigh 
killed  us  with  stifled  mirth,  they  only  gave  ever  new 
point  to  the  jest. 

This,  to  be  brief,  was  carried  on  until  I  retired  ;  and 
probably  the  two  strollers  would  have  kept  it  up  longer 
if  the  ludicrous  doubt  whether  he  was  himself,  which 
they  had  lodged  in  the  Mayor's  mind,  had  not  at  last 
spurred  him  to  action.  An  hour  before  midnight,  feel- 
ing it  rankle  intolerably,  I  suppose,  he  sprang  up  on  a 
sudden,  dragged  the  door  open,  darted  out  with  the  air 
of  a  madman,  and  in  a  moment  was  lost  in  the  darkness 
of  the  moor. 

When  I  rose  in  the  morning,  therefore,  I  found  him 
gone,  the  strollers  looking  glum,  and  the  good-wife 
and  her  girl  between  tears  and  reproaches.  I  could  not 
but  feel,  on  my  part,  that  I  had  somewhat  stooped  in 
the  night's  diversion  ;  but  before  I  had  time  to  reflect 
much  on  that  an  unexpected  trait  in  the  strollers'  con- 
duct reconciled  me  to  this  odd  experience.  They  pro- 
posed to  leave  when  I  did  ;  but  a  little  before  the  start 
they  came  to  me,  and  set  before  me  very  ingenuously 
that  the  woman  of  the  house  might  suffer  through  our 
jest ;  if  I  would  help  her,  therefore,  they  would  subscribe 
two  crowns  so  that  she  might  have  a  substantial  sum  to 
offer  on  account  of  her  debt.  As  I  took  this  to  be  the 
greater  part  of  their  capital,  and  judged  for  other  reasons 


TWO   MAYORS   OF  BOTTITORT.  77 

that  the  offer  was  genuine,  I  received  it  in  the  best  part, 
and  found  their  good-nature  no  less  pleasant  than  their 
foolery.  I  handed  over  three  crowns  for  our  share,  and 
on  that  we  parted  ;  they  set  out  with  their  bundles 
strapped  to  their  backs,  and  I  waited  somewhat  impa- 
tiently for  La  Trape  and  the  Breton  to  bring  round  the 
horses. 

Before  these  appeared,  however,  La  Font,  who  was 
at  the  door,  cried  out  that  the  two  players  were  coming 
back  ;  and  going  to  the  window  I  saw  with  astonishment 
a  whole  troop,  some  mounted  and  some  on  foot,  hurry- 
ing down  the  hill  after  them.  For  a  moment  I  felt 
some  alarm,  supposing  it  to  be  a  scheme  of  Epernon's 
to  seize  my  person  ;  and  I  cursed  the  imprudence  which 
had  led  me  to  expose  myself  in  this  solitary  place.  But 
a  second  glance  showing  me  that  the  Mayor  of  Bottitort 
was  among  the  foremost,  I  repented  almost  as  seriously 
of  the  unlucky  trifling  that  had  landed  me  in  this  foolish 
plight. 

I  even  debated  whether  I  should  mount  and,  if  it  were 
possible,  get  clear  before  they  arrived  ;  but  the  rueful 
faces  of  the  two  players  as  they  appeared  breathless 
in  the  doorway,  and  the  liking  I  had  taken  for  the 
rascals,  decided  me  to  stand  my  ground.  "What  is 
it  ?  "  I  said. 

"  The  Mayor,  monsieur,"  Philibert  answered,  while 
Pierre  pursed  up  his  lips  with  gloomy  gravity.  "  I  fear 
it  will  not  stop  at  the  stocks  this  time,"  the  rogue  con- 
tinued with  a  grimace. 

His  comrade  muttered  something  about  a  rod  and  a 


yS         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OE  FRANCE. 

fool's  back ;  but  M.  Grabot's  entrance  cut  his  witticism 
short.  The  Mayor,  between  shame  and  rage,  and  the 
gratification  of  his  revenge,  was  almost  bursting,  and  the 
moment  he  caught  sight  of  us  opened  fire.  "All,  M. 
de  Gol ;  we  have  them  all !  "  he  cried  exultingly.  "  Now 
they  shall  smart  for  it  !  Depend  upon  it,  it  is  some 
deep-laid  scheme  of  that  party.     I  have  said  so." 

But  the  Mayor  of  Gol,  a  stout,  big,  placid  man,  looked 
at  us  doubtfully.  "Well,"  he  said,  "  I  know  these  two; 
they  are  strolling  mountebanks,  honest  knaves  enough, 
but  always  in  some  mischief." 

"What,  strolling  clowns?"  M.  Grabot  rejoined,  his 
face  falling. 

"  Ay,  and  you  may  depend  upon  it  it  is  some  joke  of 
theirs,"  his  friend  answered,  his  eyes  twinkling.  "I 
begin  to  think  that  you  would  have  done  better  if  you 
had  waited  a  little  before  bringing  M.  le  Comte  into  the 
matter." 

"  Ah,  but  there  are  these  two,"  M.  Grabot  cried,  as 
he  recovered  from  the  momentary  panic  into  which  the 
other's  words  had  thrown  him.  "  Depend  upon  it  they 
are  the  chief  movers.  What  else  but  treason  could 
they  mean  by  asserting  that  one  of  them  was  Mayor  of 
Bottitort  ?  By  denying  my  title  ?  By  setting  up  other 
officers  than  those  to  whom  his  Gracious  Majesty  has 
delegated  his  authority  ?  " 

"Umph!"  his  brother  Mayor  said,  "I  don't  know 
these  gentlemen." 

"No!"  his  companion  cried  in  triumph.  "But  I 
intend  to  know  them  ;  and  to  know  a  good  deal  about 


TWO   MAYORS   OF  HOTTITORT.  79 

them.  Guard  the  window  here,"  he  continued  fussily. 
"Where  is  my  clerk  ?     Is  M.  de  Laval  coming  ?" 

Two  or  three  cried  obsequiously  that  he  had  crossed 
the  hill,  and  would  arrive  immediately. 

Hearing  this,  and  thinking  it  more  becoming  not 
to  enter  into  an  altercation,  I  kept  my  seat  and  the 
scornful  silence  I  had  hitherto  maintained.  The  two 
Mayors  had  brought  with  them  a  posse  of  busybodies  — 
huissiers,  constables,  tip-staves,  and  the  like  ;  and  these 
all  gaped  upon  us  as  if  they  saw  before  them  the  most 
notable  traitors  of  the  age.  The  women  of  the  house 
wept  in  a  corner,  and  the  strollers  shrugged  their 
shoulders  and  strove  to  appear  at  their  ease.  But  the 
only  person  who  felt  the  indifference  which  they  assumed 
was  La  Font ;  who,  obnoxious  to  none  of  the  annoyances 
which  I  foresaw,  could  hardly  restrain  his  mirth  at  the 
denouement  which  he  anticipated. 

Meanwhile  the  Mayor,  foreseeing  a  very  different 
issue,  stood  blowing  out  his  cheeks  and  fixing  us  with 
his  little  eyes  with  an  expression  of  dignity  that  would 
have  pleased  me  vastly  if  I  had  been  free  to  enjoy  it. 
But  the  reflection  that  Laval's  presence,  which  would 
cut  the  knot  of  our  difficulties,  would  also  place  me  at 
the  mercy  of  his  wit,  did  not  enable  me  to  contemplate 
it  with  entire  indifference. 

By-and-by  we  heard  him  dismount,  and  a  moment 
later  he  came  in  with  a  gentleman  and  two  or  three 
armed  servants.  He  did  not  at  once  see  me,  but  as  the 
crowd  made  way  for  him  he  addressed  himself  sharply 
to  M.  Grabot.     "  Well,  have  you  got  them  ? 5)  he  said. 


So         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"Certainly,  M.  le  Comte." 

"  Oh  !  very  well.  Now  for  the  particulars,  then. 
You  must  state  your  charge  quickly,  for  I  have  to  be  in 
Vitre  to-day." 

"He  alleged  that  he  had  been  appointed  Mayor  of 
Bottitort,"  Grabot  answered  pompously. 

"Umph!  I  don't  know?"  M.  de  Laval  muttered, 
looking  round  with  a  frown  of  discontent.  "  I  hope  that 
you  have  not  brought  me  hither  on  a  fool's  errand. 
Which  one  ? " 

"That  one,"  the  Mayor  said,  pointing  to  the  solemn 
man,  whose  gravity  and  depression  were  now  something 
preternatural. 

"  Oh  !  "  M.  de  Laval  grumbled.  "  But  that  is  not  all, 
I  suppose.     What  of  the  others  ?  " 

M.  Grabot  pointed  to  me.     "  That  one,"  he  said 

He  got  no  farther  ;  for  M.  de  Laval,  springing  forward, 
seized  my  hand  and  saluted  me  warmly.  "Why,  your 
excellency,"  he  cried,  in  a  tone  of  boundless  surprise, 
"  what  are  you  doing  in  this  galere  !  All  last  evening  I 
waited  for  you,  at  my  house,  and  now " 

"Here  I  am,"  I  answered  jocularly,  "in  charge  it 
seems,  M.  le  Comte  !  " 

"  Mon  Dieu  !  "  he  cried.     "  I  don't  understand  it !  " 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "Don't  ask  me,"  I  said. 
"Perhaps  your  friend  the  Mayor  can  tell  you." 

"But,  monsieur,  I  do  not  understand,"  the  Mayor 
answered  piteously,  his  mouth  agape  with  horror,  his  fat 
cheeks  turning  in  a  moment  all  colours.  "This  gentle- 
man, whom  you  seem  to  know,  Monsieur  le  Comte " 


TWO  MAYORS  OF  BOTTITORT.  gl 

"  Is  the  Marquis  de  Rosny,  President  of  the  Council, 
blockhead  !  "  Laval  cried  irately.  "  You  madman  !  you 
idiot !  "  he  continued,  as  light  broke  in  upon  him,  and  he 
saw  that  it  was  indeed  on  a  fool's  errand  that  he  had  been 
roused  so  early.  "  Is  this  your  conspiracy  ?  Have  you 
dared  to  bring  me  here " 

But  I  thought  that  it  was  time  to  interfere.  "  The 
truth  is,"  I  said,  "that  M.  Grabot  here  is  not  so  much 
to  blame.  He  was  the  victim  of  a  trick  which  these 
rascals  played  on  him  ;  and  in  an  idle  moment  I  let  it  go 
on.  That  is  the  whole  secret.  However,  I  forgive  him 
for  his  officiousness  since  it  brings  us  together,  and 
I  shall  now  have  the  pleasure  of  your  company  to 
Vitre." 

Laval  assented  heartily  to  this,  and  I  did  not  think  fit 
to  tell  him  more,  nor  did  he  inquire  ;  the  Mayor's  stu- 
pidity passing  current  for  all.  For  M.  Grabot  himself, 
I  think  that  I  never  saw  a  man  more  completely  con- 
founded. He  stood  staring  with  his  mouth  open  ;  and, 
as  much  deserted  as  the  statesman  who  has  fallen  from 
office,  had  not  the  least  credit  even  with  his  own  syco- 
phants, who  to  a  man  deserted  him  and  flocked  about 
the  Mayor  of  Gol.  Though  I  had  no  reason  to  pity 
him,  and,  indeed,  thought  him  well  punished,  I  took  the 
opportunity  of  saying  a  word  to  him  before  I  mounted  ; 
which,  though  it  was  only  a. hint  that  he  should  deal 
gently  with  the  woman  of  the  house,  was  received  with 
servility  equal  to  the  arrogance  he  had  before  displayed  ; 
and  I  doubt  not  it  had  all  the  effect  I  desired.  For 
the  strollers,  I  did  not  forget  them,  but  bade  them  has- 


82         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

ten  to  Vitre,  where  I  would  see  a  performance.  They 
did  so,  and  hitting  the  fancy  of  Zamet,  who  chanced 
to  be  still  there,  and  who  thought  that  he  saw  profit  in 
them,  they  came  on  his  invitation  to  Paris,  where  they 
took  the  Court  by  storm.  So  that  an  episode  trifling 
in  itself,  and  such  as  on  my  part  requires  some  apology, 
had  for  them  consequences  of  no  little  importance. 


LA  TOUSSAINT. 


IV. 
LA    TOUSSAINT. 

Towards  the  autumn  of  1601,  when  the  affair  of  M. 
de  Biron,  which  was  soon  to  fill  the  mouths  of  the  vul- 
gar, was  already  much  in  the  minds  of  those  whom  the 
King  honoured  with  his  confidence,  I  was  one  day  leav- 
ing the  hall  at  the  Arsenal,  after  giving  audience  to  such 
as  wished  to  see  me,  when  Maignan  came  after  me  and 
detained  me ;  reporting  that  a  gentleman  who  had 
attended  early,  but  had  later  gone  into  the  garden,  was 
still  in  waiting.  While  Maignan  was  still  speaking  the 
stranger  himself  came  up,  with  some  show  of  haste  but 
none  of  embarrassment  ;  and,  in  answer  to  my  salutation 
and  inquiry  what  I  could  do  for  him,  handed  me  a  letter. 
He  had  the  air  of  a  man  not  twenty,  his  dress  was  a 
trifle  rustic  ;  but  his  strons:  and  handsome  figure  set  off 
a  face  that  would  have  been  pleasing  but  for  a  something 
fierce  in  the  aspect  of  his  eyes.  Assured  that  I  did  not 
know  him,  I  broke  the  seal  of  his  letter  and  found  that 
it  was  from  my  old  flame  Madame  de  Bray,  who,  as 
Mademoiselle  de  St.  Mesmin,  had  come  so  near  to  being 
my  wife  ;  as  will  be  remembered  by  those  who  have 
read  the  early  part  of  these  memoirs. 

The  young  man  proved  to  be  her  brother,  whom  she 

85 


$6        MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

commended  to  my  good  offices,  the  impoverishment  of 
the  family  being  so  great  that  she  could  compass  no 
more  regular  method  of  introducing  him  to  the  world, 
though  the  house  of  St.  Mesmin  is  truly  respectable, 
and,  like  my  own,  allied  to  several  of  the  first  conse- 
quence. Madame  de  Bray  recalled  our  old  tendrcssc  to 
my  mind,  and  conjured  me  so  movingly  by  it  —  and  by 
the  regard  which  her  family  had  always  entertained  for 
me — that  I  could  not  dismiss  the  application  with  the 
hundred  others  of  like  tenor  that  at  that  time  came  to 
me  with  each  year.  That  I  might  do  nothing  in  the 
dark,  however,  I  invited  the  young  fellow  to  walk  with 
me  in  the  garden,  and  divined,  even  before  he  spoke, 
from  the  absence  of  timidity  in  his  manner,  that  he  was 
something  out  of  the  common. 

"So  you  have  come  to  Paris  to  make  your  fortune?" 
I  said. 

"Yes,  sir,"  he  answered. 

"  And  what  are  the  tools  with  which  you  propose  to 
do  it  ?  "   I  continued,  between  jest  and  earnest. 

"  That  letter,  sir,"  he  answered  simply  ;  "  and  failing 
that,  two  horses,  two  suits  of  clothes,  and  two  hundred 
crowns." 

"  You  think  that  those  will  suffice  ?  "   I  said,  laughing. 

"With  this,  sir,"  he  answered,  touching  his  sword; 
"and  a  good  courage." 

I  could  not  but  stand  amazed  at  his  coolness  ;  for  he 
spoke  to  me  as  simply  as  to  a  brother,  and  looked  about 
him  with  as  much  or  as  little  curiosity  as  Guise  or  Mont- 
pensier.     It  was  evident  that  he  thought  a  St.  Mesmin 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  gy 

equal  to  any  man  under  the  King ;  and  that  of  all  the 
St.  Mesmins  he  did  not  value  himself  least. 

"Well,"  I  said  after  considering  him,  "I  do  not  think 
that  I  can  help  you  much  immediately.  I  should  be 
glad  to  know,  however,  what  plans  you  have  formed  for 
yourself." 

"Frankly,  sir,"  he  said,  "  I  thought  of  this  as  I  trav- 
elled ;  and  I  decided  that  fortune  can  be  won  by  three 
things  —  by  gold,  by  steel,  and  by  love.  The  first  I 
have  not,  and  for  the  last  I  have  a  better  use.  Only 
the  second  is  left.     I  shall  be  Crillon." 

I  looked  at  him  in  astonishment ;  for  the  assurance 
of  his  manner  exceeded  that  of  his  words.  But  I  did 
not  betray  the  feeling.  "  Crillon  was  one  in  a  million," 
I  said  drily. 

"So  am  I,"  he  answered. 

I  confess  that  the  audacity  of  this  reply  silenced  me. 
I  reflected  that  the  young  man  who  —  brought  up  in  the 
depths  of  the  country,  and  without  experience,  training 
or  fashion  — could  so  speak  in  the  face  of  Paris  was  so 
far  out  of  the  common  that  I  hesitated  to  dash  his  hopes 
in  the  contemptuous  way  which  seemed  most  natural. 
I  was  content  to  remind  him  that  Crillon  had  lived  in 
times  of  continual  war,  whereas  now  we  were  at  peace ; 
and,  bidding  him  come  to  me  in  a  week,  I  hinted  that  in 
Paris  his  crowns  would  find  more  frequent  opportunities 
of  leaving  his  pockets  than  his  sword  its  sheath. 

He  parted  from  me  with  this,  seeming  perfectly  satis- 
fied with  his  reception  ;  and  marched  away  with  the 
port  of  a  man  who  expected  adventures  at  every  corner, 


88 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


and  was  prepared  to  make  the  most  of  them.  Appar- 
ently he  did  not  take  my  hint  greatly  to  heart,  however  ; 
for  when  I  next  met  him,  within  the  week,  he  was 
fashionably  dressed,  his  hair  in  the  mode,  and  his  com- 


WHEN   I   NEXT   MET  HIM   HE  WAS   FASHIONABLY   DRESSED 

pany  as  noble  as  himself.     I  made  him  a  sign  to  stop, 
and  he  came  to  speak  to  me. 

"How  many  crowns  are  left  ?"  I  said  jocularly. 

"  Fifty,"  he  answered,  with  perfect  readiness. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  gg 

"What!"  I  said,  pointing  to  his  equipment  with 
something  of  the  indignation  I  felt,  "  has  this  cost  the 
balance  ? " 

"No,"  he  answered.  "  On  the  contrary,  I  have  paid 
three  months'  rent  in  advance  and  a  month's  board  at 
Zaton's  ;  I  have  added  two  suits  to  my  wardrobe,  and  I 
have  lost  fifty  crowns  on  the  dice." 

"You  promise  well !  "  I  said. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  quite  in  the  fashionable 
manner.  "Always  courage  !  "  he  said  ;  and  he  went  on, 
smiling. 

I  was  walking  at  the  time  with  M.  de  Saintonge,  and 
he  muttered,  with  a  sneer,  that  it  was  not  difficult  to 
see  the  end,  or  that  within  the  year  the  young  braggart 
would  sink  to  be  a  gaming-house  bully.  I  said  nothing, 
but  I  confess  that  I  thought  otherwise ;  the  lad's  dispo- 
sition of  his  money  and  his  provision  for  the  future 
seeming  to  me  so  remarkable  as  to  set  him  above 
ordinary  rules. 

From  this  time  I  began  to  watch  his  career  with 
interest,  and  I  was  not  surprised  when,  in  less  than  a 
month,  something  fell  out  that  led  the  whole  court  to 
regard  him  with  a  mixture  of  amusement  and  expectancy. 

One  evening,  after  leaving  the  King's  closet,  I  hap- 
pened to  pass  through  the  east  gallery  at  the  Louvre, 
which  served  at  that  time  as  the  outer  antechamber, 
and  was  the  common  resort  as  well  of  all  those  idlers 
who,  with  some  pretensions  to  fashion,  lacked  the  aitrcc, 
as  of  many  who  with  greater  claims  preferred  to  be  at 
their  ease.     My  passage  for  a  moment  stilled  the  babel 


90         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

which  prevailed.  But  I  had  no  sooner  reached  the 
farther  door  than  the  noise  broke  out  again ;  and  this 
with  so  sudden  a  fury,  the  tumult  being  augmented  by 
the  crashing  fall  of  a  table,  as  caused  me  at  the  last 
moment  to  stand  and  turn.  A  dozen  voices  crying 
simultaneously,  "  Have  a  care  !  "  and  "  Not  here !  not 
here  !  "  and  all  looking  the  same  way,  I  was  able  to 
detect  the  three  principals  in  the  fracas.  They  were  no 
other  than  M.  de  St.  Mesmin,  Barradas  —  a  low  fellow, 
still  remembered,  who  was  already  what  Saintonge  had 
prophesied  that  the  former  would  become  — and  young 
St.  Germain,  the  eldest  son  of  M.  de  Clan. 

I  rather  guessed  than  heard  the  cause  of  the  quarrel, 
and  that  St.  Mesmin,  putting  into  words  what  many 
had  known  for  years  and  some  made  their  advantage  of, 
had  accused  Barradas  of  cheating.  The  latter's  fury  was, 
of  course,  proportioned  to  his  guilt ;  an  instant  challenge 
while  I  looked  was  his  natural  answer.  This,  as  he  was 
a  consummate  swordsman,  and  had  long  earned  his 
living  as  much  by  fear  as  by  fraud,  should  have  been 
enough  to  stay  the  greediest  stomach  ;  but  St.  Mesmin 
was  not  content.  Treating  the  knave,  the  word  once 
passed,  as  so  much  dirt,  he  transferred  his  attack  to  St. 
Germain,  and  called  on  him  to  return  the  money  he  had 
won  by  betting  on  Barradas. 

St.  Germain,  a  young  spark  as  proud  and  headstrong 
as  St.  Mesmin  himself,  and  possessed  of  friends  equal 
to  his  expectations,  flung  back  a  haughty  refusal.  He 
had  the  advantage  in  station  and  popularity ;  and  by 
far  the  larger  number  of  those  present  sided  with  him. 


y 


You  must  return  my  money. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  gl 

I  lingered  a  moment  in  curiosity,  looking  to  see  the 
accuser  with  all  his  boldness  give  way  before  the  almost 
unanimous  expression  of  disapproval.  But  my  former 
judgment  of  him  had  been  correctly  formed  ;  so  far 
from  being  browbeaten  or  depressed  by  his  position,  he 
repeated  the  demand  with  a  stubborn  persistence  that 
marvellously  reminded  me  of  Crillon  ;  and  continued 
to  reiterate  it  until  all,  except  St.  Germain  himself, 
were  silent.  "  You  must  return  my  money  !  "  he  kept 
on  saying  monotonously.  "  You  must  return  my  money. 
This  man  cheated,  and  you  won  my  money.  You  must 
pay  or  fight." 

"With  a  dead  man?"  St.  Germain  replied,  gibing 
at  him. 

"  No,  with  me." 

"Barradas  will  spit  you!"  the  other  scoffed.  "Go 
and  order  your  coffin,  and  do  not  trouble  me." 

"  I  shall  trouble  you.  If  you  did  not  know  that  he 
cheated,  pay  ;  and  if  you  did  know,  fight." 

"  I  know  ? "  St.  Germain  retorted  fiercely.  "  You 
madman !  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  I  knew  that  he 
cheated  ? " 

"  I  mean  what  I  say  !  "  St.  Mesmin  returned  stolidly. 
"You  have  won  my  money.  You  must  return  it.  If 
you  will  not  return  it,  you  must  fight." 

I  should  have  heard  more,  but  at  that  moment  the 
main  door  opened,  and  two  or  three  gentlemen  who  had 
been  with  the  King  came  out.  Not  wishing  to  be  seen 
watching  the  brawl,  I  moved  away  and  descended  the 
stairs ;   and  Varenne  overtaking    me    a    moment    later, 


92 


MEMOIRS   OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


and  entering  on  the  Biron  affair — of  which  I  had  just 
been  discussing  the  latest  developments  with  the  King 
—  I  forgot  St.  Mesmin  for  the  time,  and  only  recalled 
him  next  morning  when  Saintonge,  being  announced, 
came  into  my  room  in  a  state  of  great  excitement,  and 
almost  with  his  first  sentence  brought  out  his  name. 

"  Barradas  has  not  killed  him  then?"  I  said,  re- 
proaching myself  in  a  degree  for  my  forgetfulness. 

"  No  !     He  Barradas  !  "  Saintonge  answered. 

"  No  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Yes  !  "  he  said.  "I  tell  you,  M.  le  Marquis,  he  is 
a  devil  of  a  fellow — a  devil  of  a  fellow  !  He  fought,  I 
am  told,  just  like  Crillon  ;  rushed  in  on  that  rascal  and 
fairly  beat  down  his  guard,  and  had  pinned  him  to  the 
ground  before  he  knew  that  they  had  crossed  swords!" 

"Well,"  I  said,  "there  is  one  scoundrel  the  less. 
That  is  all." 

"Ah,  but  that  is  not  all!"  my  visitor  replied  more 
seriously.  "  It  should  be,  but  it  is  not ;  and  it  is  for 
that  reason  I  am  come  to  you.     You  know  St.  Germain  ?" 

"  I  know  that  his  father  and  you  are  —  well,  that  you 
take  opposite  sides,"  I  said  smiling. 

"That  is  pretty  well  known,"  he  answered  coldly. 
"  Anyway,  this  lad  is  to  fight  St.  Germain  to-morrow ; 
and  now  I  hear  that  M.  de  Clan,  St.  Germain's  father, 
is  for  shutting  him  up.  Getting  a  lettre  de  cacJiet,  or 
anything  else  you  please,  and  away  with  him." 

"What!  St.  Germain!"   I  said. 

"  No ! "  M.  de  Saintonge  answered,  prolonging  the 
sound  to  the  utmost.     "  St.  Mesmin  !  " 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  93 

"Oh,"  I  said,  "I  see." 

"Yes,"  the  Marquis  retorted  pettishly,  "but  I  don't. 
I  don't  see.  And  I  beg  to  remind  you,  M.  de  Rosny, 
that  this  lad  is  my  wife's  second  cousin  through  her  step- 
father, and  that  I  shall  resent  any  interference  with  him. 
I  have  spent  enough  and  done  enough  in  the  King's  ser- 
vice to  have  my  wishes  respected  in  a  small  matter  such 
as  this  ;  and  I  shall  regard  any  severity  exercised  towards 
my  kinsman  as  a  direct  offence  to  myself.  Whereas 
M.  de  Clan,  who  will  doubtless  be  here  in  a  few  minutes, 
is " 

"  But  stop,"  I  said,  interrupting  him,  "  I  heard  you 
speaking  of  this  young  fellow  the  other  day.  You  did 
not  tell  me  then  that  he  was  your  kinsman." 

"  Nevertheless  he  is  ;  my  wife's  second  cousin,"  he 
answered  with  heat. 

"And  you  wish  him  to " 

"Be  let  alone!"  he  replied,  interrupting  me  in  his 
turn  more  harshly  than  I  approved.  "  I  wish  him  to  be 
let  alone.  If  he  will  fight  St.  Germain,  and  kill  or  be 
killed,  is  that  the  King's  affair  that  he  need  interfere  ? 
I  ask  for  no  interference,"  M.  de  Saintonge  continued 
bitterly,  "  only  for  fair  play  and  no  favour.  And  for  M.  de 
Clan,  who  is  a  Republican  at  heart,  and  a  Bironist,  and 
has  never  done  anything  but  thwart  the  King,  for  him 
to  come  now,  and  —  faugh  !  it  makes  me  sick." 

"Yes,"  I  said  drily;  "I  see." 

"  You  understand  me  ?  " 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "I  think  so." 

"  Very  well,"  he  replied  haughtily  —  he  had  gradually 


94        MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

wrought  himself  into  a  passion;  "be  good  enough  to 
bear  my  request  in  mind  then  ;  and  my  services  also. 
I  ask  no  more,  M.  de  Rosny,  than  is  due  to  me  and  to 
the  King's  honour." 

And  with  that,  and  scarcely  an  expression  of  civility, 
he  left  me.  Some  may  wonder,  I  know,  that,  having  in 
the  Edict  of  Blois,  which  forbade  duelling  and  made  it 
a  capital  offence,  an  answer  to  convince  even  his  arro- 
gance, I  did  not  use  this  weapon  ;  but,  as  a  fact,  the  edict 
was  not  published  until  the  following  June,  when,  partly 
in  consequence  of  this  affair  and  at  my  instance,  the 
King  put  it  forth. 

Saintonge  could  scarcely  have  cleared  the  gates  before 
his  prediction  was  fulfilled.  His  enemy  arrived  hot  foot, 
and  entered  to  me  with  a  mien  so  much  lowered  by  anx- 
iety and  trouble  that  I  hardly  knew  him  for  the  man 
who  had  a  hundred  times  rebuffed  me,  and  whom  the 
King's  offers  had  found  consistently  obdurate.  All  I 
had  ever  known  of  M.  de  Clan  heightened  his  present 
humility  and  strengthened  his  appeal ;  so  that  I  felt 
pity  for  him  proportioned  not  only  to  his  age  and  neces- 
sity, but  to  the  depth  of  his  fall.  Saintonge  had  rightly 
anticipated  his  request  ;  the  first,  he  said,  with  a  trace 
of  his  old  pride,  that  he  had  made  to  the  King  in  eleven 
years  :  his  son,  his  only  son  and  only  child — the  single 
heir  of  his  name  !  He  stopped  there  and  looked  at  me ; 
his  eyes  bright,  his  lips  trembling  and  moving  without 
sound,  his  hands  fumbling  on  his  knees. 

"But,"  I  said,  "your  son  wishes  to  fight,  M.  de 
Clan  ? " 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  95 

He  nodded. 

"  And  you  cannot  hinder  him  ?  " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  grimly.  "No,"  he  said; 
"  he  is  a  St.  Germain." 

"Well,  that  is  just  my  case,"  I  answered.  "  You  see, 
this  young  fellow  St.  Mesmin  was  commended  to  me, 
and  is,  in  a  manner,  of  my  household  ;  and  that  is  a 
fatal  objection.  I  cannot  possibly  act  against  him  in 
the  manner  you  propose.  You  must  see  that ;  and  for 
my  wishes,  he  respects  them  less  than  your  son  regards 
yours." 

M.  de  Clan  rose,  trembling  a  little  on  his  legs,  and 
glaring  at  me  out  of  his  fierce  old  eyes.  "Very  well," 
he  said,  "  it  is  as  much  as  I  expected.  Times  are 
changed  —  and  faiths  —  since  the  King  of  Navarre  slept 
under  the  same  bush  with  Antoine  St.  Germain  on  the 
night  before  Cahors  !  I  wish  you  good-day,  M.  le  Mar- 
quis." 

I  need  not  say  that  my  sympathies  were  with  him, 
and  that  I  would  have  helped  him  if  I  could ;  but  in 
accordance  with  the  maxim  which  I  have  elsewhere 
explained,  that  he  who  places  any  consideration  before 
the  King's  service  is  not  fit  to  conduct  it,  I  did  not  see 
my  way  to  thwart  M.  de  Saintonge  in  a  matter  so  small. 
And  the  end  justified  my  inaction  ;  for  the  duel,  taking 
place  that  evening,  resulted  in  nothing  worse  than  a 
serious,  but  not  dangerous,  wound  which  St.  Mesmin, 
fighting  with  the  same  fury  as  in  the  morning,  con- 
trived to  inflict  on  his  opponent. 

For  some  weeks  after  this  I  saw  little  of  the  young 


96 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


firebrand,  though  from  time  to  time  he  attended  my 
receptions  and  invariably  behaved  to  me  with  a  modesty 
which  proved  that  he  placed  some  bounds  to  his  pre- 
sumption. I  heard,  moreover,  that  M.  de  Saintonge,  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  triumph  over  the  St.  Germains 
which  he  had  afforded  him,  had  taken  him  up ;  and 
that  the  connection  between  the  families  being  pub- 
licly avowed,  the  two  were  much  together. 

Judge  of  my  surprise,  therefore,  when  one  day  a  little 
before  Christmas  M.  de  Saintonge  sought  me  at  the 
Arsenal  during  the  preparation  of  the  plays  and  inter- 
ludes—  which  were  held  there  that  year  —  and,  draw- 
ing me  aside  into  the  garden,  broke  into  a  furious  tirade 
against  the  young  fellow. 

"  But,"  I  said,  in  immense  astonishment,  "  what  is 
this  ?  I  thought  that  he  was  a  young  man  quite  to 
your  mind;  and " 

"He  is  mad  !  "  he  answered. 

"Mad?"  I  said. 

"Yes,  mad!"  he  repeated,  striking  the  ground  vio- 
lently with  his  cane.  "  Stark  mad,  M.  de  Rosny.  He 
does  not  know  himself  !  What  do  you  think  —  but  it  is 
inconceivable.  He  proposes  to  marry  my  daughter ! 
This  penniless  adventurer  honours  Mademoiselle  de 
Saintonge  by  proposing  for  her  !  " 

"Pheugh  !  "  I  said.     "That  is  serious." 

"  He  —  he  !  I  don't  think  I  shall  ever  get  over  it !  " 
he  answered. 

"  He  has,  of  course,  seen  Mademoiselle  ?  " 

M.  de  Saintonge  nodded. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  gy 

"At  your  house,  doubtless  ?  " 

"  Of  course  !  "  he  replied,  with  a  snap  of  rage. 

"Then  I  am  afraid  it  is  serious,"  I  said. 

He  stared  at  me,  and  for  an  instant  I  thought  that 
he  was  going  to  quarrel  with  me.  Then  he  asked  me 
why. 

I  was  not  sorry  to  have  this  opportunity  of  at  once 
increasing  his  uneasiness,  and  requiting  his  arrogance. 
"Because,"  I  said,  "this  young  man  appears  to  me  to 
be  very  much  out  of  the  common.  Hitherto,  whatever 
he  has  said  he  would  do,  he  has  done.  You  remember 
Crillon  ?  Well,  I  trace  a  likeness.  St.  Mesmin  has 
much  of  his  headlong  temper  and  savage  determination. 
If  you  will  take  my  advice,  you  will  proceed  with 
caution." 

M.  de  Saintonge,  receiving  an  answer  so  little  to  his 
mind,  was  almost  bursting  with  rage.  "  Proceed  with 
caution  !  "  he  cried.  "  You  talk  as  if  the  thing  could  be 
entertained,  or  as  if  I  had  cause  to  fear  the  coxcomb ! 
On  the  contrary,  I  intend  to  teach  him  a  lesson.  A 
little  confinement  will  cool  his  temper.  You  must  give 
me  a  letter,  my  friend,  and  we  will  clap  him  in  the  Bas- 
tille for  a  month  or  two." 

"  Impossible,"  I  said  firmly.  "  Quite  impossible,  M. 
le  Marquis." 

M.  de  Saintonge  looked  at  me,  frowning.  "  How  ?  " 
he  said  arrogantly.  "  Have  my  services  earned  no  bet- 
ter answer  than  that  ? " 

"You  forget,"  I  replied.  "Let  me  remind  you  that 
less  than  a  month  ago  you  asked  me  not  to   interfere 

H 


98         MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

with  St.  Mesmin  ;  and  at  your  instance  I  refused  to 
accede  to  M.  de  Clan's  request  that  I  would  confine 
him.  You  were  then  all  for  non-interference,  M.  de 
Sainton^e,  and  I  cannot  blow  hot  and  cold.  Besides, 
to  be  plain  with  you,"  I  continued,  "even  if  that  were 
not  the  case,  this  young  fellow  is  in  a  manner  under  my 
protection  ;  which  renders  it  impossible  for  me  to  move 
against  him.     If  you  like,  however,  I  will  speak  to  him." 

"  Speak  to  him  !  "  M.  de  Saintonge  cried.  He  was 
breathless  with  rage.  He  could  say  no  more.  It 
may  be  imagined  how  unpalatable  my  answer  was  to 
him. 

But  I  was  not  disposed  to  endure  his  presumption 
and  ill-temper  beyond  a  certain  point ;  and  feeling 
no  sympathy  with  him  in  a  difficulty  which  he  had 
brought  upon  himself  by  his  spitefulness,  I  answered 
him  roundly.  "  Yes,"  I  said,  "  I  will  speak  to  him, 
if  you  please.  But  not  otherwise.  I  can  assure  you, 
I  should  not  do  it  for  every  one." 

But  M.  de  Saintonge's  chagrin  and  rage  at  finding 
himself  thus  rebuffed,  in  a  quarter  where  his  haughty 
temper  had  led  him  to  expect  an  easy  compliance, 
would  not  allow  him  to  stoop  to  my  offer.  He  flung 
away  with  expressions  of  the  utmost  resentment,  and 
even  in  the  hearing  of  my  servants  uttered  so  many 
foolish  and  violent  things  against  me,  that  had  my 
discretion  been  no  greater  than  his  I  must  have 
taken  notice  of  them.  As,  however,  I  had  other  and 
more  important  affairs  upon  my  hands,  and  it  has 
never  been  my  practice  to  humour  such  hot-heads  by 


LA    TOUSSAINT. 


99 


placing  myself  on  a  level  with  them,  I  was  content 
to  leave  his  punishment  to  St.  Mesmin  ;  assured  that 
in  him  M.  Saintonge  would  find  an  opponent  more 
courageous  and  not  less  stubborn  than  himself. 

The  event  bore  me  out,  for  within  a  week  M.  de 
St.  Mesmin's  pretensions  to  the  hand  of  Mademoiselle 
de  Saintonge  shared  with  the  Biron  affair  the  atten- 
tion of  all  Paris.  The  young  lady,  whose  reputation 
and  the  care  which  had  been  spent  on  her  breeding, 
no  less  than  her  gifts  of  person  and  character,  deserved 
a  better  fate,  attained  in  a  moment  a  notoriety  far 
from  enviable ;  rumour's  hundred  tongues  alleging,  and 
probably  with  truth  —  for  what  father  can  vie  with  a 
gallant  in  a  maiden's  eyes  ?  —  that  her  inclinations  were 
all  on  the  side  of  the  pretender.  At  any  rate,  St. 
Mesmin  had  credit  for  them  ;  there  was  talk  of  stolen 
meetings,  and  a  bribed  waiting-woman ;  and  though 
such  tales  were  probably  as  false  as  those  who  gave 
them  currency  were  fair,  they  obtained  credence  with 
the  thoughtless,  and  being  repeated  from  one  to  another, 
in  time  reached  her  father's  ears,  and  contributed  with 
St.  Mesmin's  persecution  to  render  him  almost  beside 
himself. 

Doubtless  with  a  man  of  less  dogged  character,  or 
one  more  amenable  to  reason,  the  Marquis  would  have 
known  how  to  deal ;  but  the  success  which  had  hitherto 
rewarded  St.  Mesmin's  course  of  action  had  confirmed 
the  young  man  in  his  belief  that  everything  was  to  be 
won  by  courage  ;  so  that  the  more  the  Marquis  blustered 
and  threatened  the  more  persistent  the  suitor  showed 


IOo      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

himself.  Wherever  Mademoiselle's  presence  was  to  be 
expected,  St.  Mesmin  appeared,  dressed  in  the  extreme 
of  the  fashion  and  wearing  either  a  favour  made  of  her 
colours  or  a  glove  which  he  asserted  that  she  had  given 
him.  Throwing  himself  in  her  road  on  every  occasion, 
he  expressed  his  passion  by  the  most  extravagant  looks 
and  gestures  ;  and  protected  from  the  shafts  of  ridicule 
alike  by  his  self-esteem  and  his  prowess,  did  a  hundred 
things  that  rendered  her  conspicuous  and  must  have 
covered  another  than  himself  with  inextinguishable 
laughter. 

In  these  circumstances  M.  de  Saintonge  began  to 
find  that  the  darts  which  glanced  off  his  opponent's 
armour  were  making  him  their  butt ;  and  that  he,  who 
had  valued  himself  all  his  life  on  a  stately  dignity  and 
a  pride  almost  Spanish,  was  rapidly  becoming  the 
laughing-stock  of  the  Court.  His  rage  may  be  better 
imagined  than  described,  and  doubtless  his  daughter 
did  not  go  unscathed.  But  the  ordinary  contemptuous 
refusal  which  have  would  sent  another  suitor  about  his 
business  was  of  no  avail  here ;  he  had  no  son,  while  St. 
Mesmin's  recklessness  rendered  the  boldest  unwilling  to 
engage  him.  Saintonge  found  himself  therefore  at  his 
wits'  end,  and  in  this  emergency  bethought  him  again  of 
a  lettre  de  cachet.  But  the  King  proved  as  obdurate  as 
his  minister  ;  partly  in  accordance  with  a  promise  he  had 
made  me  about  a  year  before  that  he  would  not  com- 
monly grant  what  I  had  denied,  and  partly  because 
Biron's  affair  had  now  reached  a  stage  in  which  Saint- 
onge's  aid  was  no  longer  of  importance. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  ^Ol 

Thus  repulsed,  the  Marquis  made  up  his  mind  to 
carry  his  daughter  into  the  country  ;  but  St.  Mesmin 
meeting  this  with  the  confident  assertion  that  he  would 
abduct  her  within  a  week,  wherever  she  was  confined, 
Saintonge,  desperate  as  a  baited  bull,  and  trembling 
with  rage  —  for  the  threat  was  uttered  at  Zamet's  and 
was  repeated  everywhere — avowed  equally  publicly  that 
since  the  King  would  give  him  no  satisfaction  he  would 
take  the  law  into  his  own  hands,  and  serve  this  impudent 
braggart  as  Guise  served  St.  Megrin.  As  M.  le  Mar- 
quis maintained  a  considerable  household,  including 
some  who  would  not  stick  at  a  trifle,  it  was  thought 
likely  enough  that  he  would  carry  out  his  threat ;  espe- 
cially as  the  provocation  seemed  to  many  to  justify  it. 
St.  Mesmin  was  warned,  therefore ;  but  his  reckless 
character  was  so  well  known  that  odds  were  freely  given 
that  he  would  be  caught  tripping  some  night  —  and  for 
the  last  time. 

At  this  juncture,  however,  an  unexpected  ally,  and 
one  whose  appearance  increased  Saintonge's  rage  to  an 
intolerable  extent,  took  up  St.  Mesmin's  quarrel.  This 
was  young  St.  Germain,  who,  quitting  his  chamber,  was 
to  be  seen  everywhere  on  his  antagonist's  arm.  The 
old  feud  between  the  St.  Germains  and  Saintonges 
aggravated  the  new ;  and  more  than  one  brawl  took 
place  in  the  streets  between  the  two  parties.  St. 
Germain  never  moved  without  four  armed  servants  ;  he 
placed  others  at  his  friend's  disposal ;  and  wherever  he 
went  he  loudly  proclaimed  what  he  would  do  if  a  hair 
of  St.  Mesmin's  head  were  injured. 


10.2      MEMOIRS  OF-  A  MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

This  seemed  to  place  an  effectual  check  on  M.  de 
Saintonge's  purpose  ;  and  my  surprise  was  great  when, 
about  a  week  later,  the  younger  St.  Germain  burst  in 
upon  me  one  morning,  with  his  face  inflamed  with  anger 
and  his  dress  in  disorder  ;  and  proclaimed,  before  I  c 
rise  or  speak,  that  St.  Mesmin  had  been  murdered. 

"  How  ?  "   I  said,  somewhat  startled.      "  And  when  ?  " 

"  By  M.  de  Saintonge  !  Last  night !  "  he  answered 
furiously.  "  But  I  will  have  justice  ;  I  will  have  justice, 
M.  de  Rosny,  or  the  King " 

I  checked  him  as  sternly  as  my  surprise  would  let  me  ; 
and  when  I  had  a  little  abashed  him  —  which  was  not 
easy,  for  his  temper  vied  in  stubbornness  with  St.  Mes- 
min's  —  I  learned  the  particulars.  About  ten  o'clock 
on  the  previous  night  St.  Mesmin  had  received  a  note, 
and,  in  spite  of  the  remonstrances  of  his  servants,  had 
gone  out  alone.  He  had  not  returned  nor  been  seen 
since,  and  his  friends  feared  the  worst. 

"But  on  what  grounds?"  I  said,  astonished  to  find 
that  that  was  all. 

"What !"  St.  Germain  cried,  flaring  up  again.  "Do 
you  ask  on  what  grounds  ?  When  M.  de  Saintonge  has 
told  a  hundred  what  he  would  do  to  him  !  What  he 
would  do  —  do,  I  say  ?       What  he  has  done  !  " 

"Pooh!"  I  said.  "It  is  some  assignation,  and  the 
rogue  is  late  in  returning." 

"An  assignation,  yes,"  St.  Germain  retorted;  "but 
one  from  which  he  will  not  return." 

"Well,  if  he  does  not,  go  to  the  Chevalier  du  Guet,"  I 
answered,  waving  him  off.      "  Go  !  do  you  hear  ?     I  am 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  IC>3 

busy,"  I  continued.  "Do  you  think  that  I  am  keeper 
of  all  the  young  sparks  that  bay  the  moon  under  the 
citizens'  windows  ?     Be  off,  sir  !  " 

He  went  reluctantly,  muttering  vengeance  ;  and  I, 
aft-  r  rating  Maignan  soundly  for  admitting  him,  re- 
tur  .ed  to  my  work,  supposing  that  before  night  I  should 
hear  of  St.  Mesmin's  safety.  But  the  matter  took 
another  turn,  for  while  I  was  at  dinner  the  Captain  of 
the  Watch  came  to  speak  to  me.  St.  Mesmin's  cap  had 
been  found  in  a  bye-street  near  the  river,  in  the  place 
where  there  were  marks  of  a  struggle ;  and  his  friends 
were  furious.  High  words  had  already  passed  between 
the  two  factions,  St.  Germain  openly  accusing  Saintonge 
of  the  murder  ;  plainly,  unless  something  were  done  at 
once,  a  bloody  fray  was  imminent. 

"  What  do  you  think  yourself,  M.  le  Marchand  ? "  I 
said,  when  I  had  heard  him  out. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  What  can  I  think, 
your  excellency  ?  "  he  said.  "  What  else  was  to  be 
expected  ? " 

"You  take  it  for  granted  that  M.  de  Saintonge  is 
guilty  ? " 

"The  young  man  is  gone,"  he  answered  pithily. 

In  spite  of  this,  I  thought  the  conclusion  hasty,  and 
contented  myself  with  bidding  him  see  St.  Germain  and 
charge  him  to  be  quiet ;  promising  that,  if  necessary,  the 
matter  should  be  investigated  and  justice  done.  I  still 
had  good  hopes  that  St.  Mesmin's  return  would  clear  up 
the  affair,  and  the  whole  turn  out  to  be  a  freak  on  his 
part ;  but  within  a  few  hours  tidings  that  Saintonge  had 


I04      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

taken  steps  to  strengthen  his  house  and  was  lying  at 
home,  refusing  to  show  himself,  placed  a  different  and 
more  serious  aspect  on  the  mystery.  Before  noon  next 
day  M.  de  Clan,  whose  interference  surprised  me  not  a 
little,  was  with  me  to  support  his  son's  petition  ;  and  at 
the  King's  levee  next  day  St.  Germain  accused  his 
enemy  to  the  King's  face,  and  caused  an  angry  and 
indecent  scene  in  the  chamber. 

When  a  man  is  in  trouble  foes  spring  up,  as  the 
moisture  rises  through  the  stones  before  a  thaw.  I 
doubt  if  M.  de  Saintonge  was  not  more  completely 
surprised  than  any  by  the  stir  which  ensued,  and  which 
was  not  confined  to  the  St.  Germains'  friends,  though 
they  headed  the  accusers.  All  whom  he  had  ever 
offended,  and  all  who  had  ever  offended  him,  clamoured 
for  justice ;  while  St.  Mesmin's  faults  being  forgotten 
and  only  his  merits  remembered,  there  were  few  who 
did  not  bow  to  the  general  indignation,  which  the 
young  and  gallant,  who  saw  that  at  any  moment  his 
fate  might  be  theirs,  did  all  in  their  power  to  foment. 
Finally,  the  arrival  of  St.  Mesmin  the  father,  who  came 
up  almost  broken-hearted,  and  would  have  flung  himself 
at  the  King's  feet  on  the  first  opportunity,  roused  the 
storm  to  the  wildest  pitch ;  so  that,  in  the  fear  lest 
M.  de  Biron's  friends  should  attempt  something  under 
cover  of  it,  I  saw  the  King  and  gave  him  my  advice. 
This  was  to  summon  Saintonge,  the  St.  Germains,  and 
old  St.  Mesmin  to  his  presence  and  effect  a  reconcil- 
iation ;  or,  failing  that,  to  refer  the  matter  to  the 
Parliament. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  105 

He  agreed  with  me  and  chose  to  receive  them  next 
day  at  the  Arsenal.  I  communicated  his  commands, 
and  at  the  hour  named  we  met,  the  King  attended  by 
Roquelaure  and  myself.  But  if  I  had  flattered  myself 
that  the  King's  presence  would  secure  a  degree  of 
moderation  and  reasonableness  I  was  soon  undeceived  ; 
for  though  M.  de  St.  Mesmin  had  only  his  trembling 
head  and  his  tears  to  urge,  Clan  and  his  son  fell  upon 
Saintonge  with  so  much  violence  —  to  which  he  re- 
sponded by  a  fierce  and  resentful  sullen ness  equally 
dangerous  —  that  I  feared  that  blows  would  be  struck 
even  before  the  King's  face.  Lest  this  should  happen 
and  the  worst  traditions  of  old  days  of  disorder  be 
renewed,  I  interposed  and  managed  at  length  to  pro- 
cure silence. 

"  For  shame,  gentlemen,  for  shame  !  "  the  King  said, 
gnawing  his  moustachios  after  a  fashion  he  had  when 
in  doubt.  "  I  take  Heaven  to  witness  that  I  cannot  say 
who  is  right !  But  this  brawling  does  no  good.  The 
one  fact  we  have  is  that  St.  Mesmin  has  disappeared." 

"  Yes,  sire ;  and  that  M.  de  Saintonge  predicted  his 
disappearance,"  St.  Germain  cried  impulsively.  "To 
the  day  and  almost  to  the  hour." 

"  I  gather,  M.  de  Saintonge,"  the  King  said,  turning 
to  him,  mildly,  "  that  you  did  use  some  expressions  of 
that  kind." 

"Yes,  sire,  and  did  nothing  upon  them,"  he  answered 
resentfully.  But  he  trembled  as  he  spoke.  He  was  an 
older  man  than  his  antagonist,  and  the  latter's  violence 
shook  him. 


106      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"But  does  M.  de  Saintonge  deny,"  St.  Germain  broke 
out  afresh  before  the  King  could  speak,  "  that  my  friend 
had  made  him  a  proposal  for  his  daughter  ?  and  that  he 
rejected  it?" 

"I  deny  nothing!"  Saintonge  cried,  fierce  and  trem- 
bling as  a  baited  animal.  "For  that  matter,  I  would  to 
Heaven  he  had  had  her !  "  he  continued  bitterly. 

"  Ay,  so  you  say  now,"  the  irrepressible  St.  Germain 
retorted,  "when  you  know  that  he  is  dead  !  " 

"  I  do  not  know  that  he  is  dead,"  Saintonge  answered. 
"  And,  for  that  matter,  if  he  were  alive  and  here  now 
he  should  have  her.  I  am  tired ;  I  have  suffered 
enough." 

"What!  Do  you  tell  the  King,"  the  young  fellow 
replied  incredulously,  "that  if  St.  Mesmin  were  here 
you  would  give  him  your  daughter  ?  " 

«l  c]0  —  I  do!"  the  other  exclaimed  passionately. 
"To  be  rid  of  him,  and  you,  and  all  your  crew!" 

"Tut,  tut!"  the  King  said.  "Whatever  betides,  I 
will  answer  for  it,  you  shall  have  protection  and  justice, 
M.  de  Saintonge.  And  do  you,  young  sir,  be  silent. 
Be  silent,  do  you  hear !  We  have  had  too  much  noise 
introduced  into  this  already." 

He  proceeded  then  to  ask  certain  details,  and  particu- 
larly the  hour  at  which  St.  Mesmin  had  been  last  seen. 
Notwithstanding  that  these  facts  were  in  the  main  mat- 
ters of  common  agreement,  some  wrangling  took  place 
over  them  ;  which  was  only  brought  to  an  end  at  last 
in  a  manner  sufficiently  startling.  The  King  with  his 
usual  thousrhtfulness  had  bidden  St.  Mesmin  be  seated. 


LA    TOUSSAINT. 


107 


On  a  sudden  the  old  man  rose ;  I  heard  him  utter  a  cry 
of  amazement,  and  following  the  direction  of  his  eyes  I 
looked  towards  the  door.     There  stood  his  son  ! 


ON  A  SUDDEN  THE  OLD  MAN  ROSE 


At  an  appearance  so  unexpected  a  dozen  exclamations 
filled  the  air  ;  but  to  describe  the  scene  which  ensued 
or  the  various  emotions  that  were  evinced  by  this  or 


IQ8      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE, 

that  person,  as  surprise  or  interest  or  affection  moved 
them,  were  a  task  on  which  I  am  not  inclined  to  enter. 
Suffice  it  that  the  foremost  and  the  loudest  in  these 
expressions  of  admiration  was  young  St.  Germain  ;  and 
that  the  King,  after  glancing  from  face  to  face  in  puzzled 
perplexity,  began  to  make  a  shrewd  guess  at  the  truth. 

"This  is  a  very  timely  return,  M.  de  St.  Mesmin,"  he 
said  drily. 

"Yes,  sire,"  the  young  impertinent  answered,  not  a 
whit  abashed. 

"Very  timely,  indeed." 

"  Yes,  sire.  And  the  more  as  St.  Germain  tells  me 
that  M.  de  Saintonge  in  his  clemency  has  reconsidered 
my  claims  ;    and  has  undertaken  to  use  that  influence 

with  Mademoiselle  which " 

But  on  that  word  M.  de  Saintonge,  comprehending 
the  ruse  by  which  he  had  been  overcome,  cut  him  short; 
crying  out  in  a  rage  that  he  would  see  him  in  perdition 
first.  However,  we  all  immediately  took  the  Marquis 
in  hand,  and  made  it  our  business  to  reconcile  him  to 
the  notion  ;  the  King  even  making  a  special  appeal  to 
him,  and  promising  that  St.  Mesmin  should  never  want 
his  good  offices.  Under  this  pressure,  and  confronted 
by  his  solemn  undertaking,  Saintonge  at  last  and  with 
reluctance  gave  way.  At  the  King's  instance,  he  for- 
mally gave  his  consent  to  a  match  which  effectually 
secured  St.  Mesmin's  fortunes,  and  was  as  much  above 
anything  the  young  fellow  could  reasonably  expect  as 
his  audacity  and  coolness  exceeded  the  common  conceit 
of  courtiers. 


LA    TOUSSAINT.  109 

Many  must  still  remember  St.  Mesmin  ;  though  an 
attack  of  the  small-pox,  which  disfigured  him  beyond 
the  ordinary,  led  him  to  leave  Paris  soon  after  his  mar- 
riage. He  was  concerned,  I  believe,  in  the  late  ill-advised 
rising  in  the  Vivarais  ;  and  at  that  time  his  wife  still 
lived.  But  for  some  years  past  I  have  not  heard  his 
name,  and  only  now  recall  it  as  that  of  one  whose  adven- 
tures, thrust  on  my  attention,  formed  an  amusing  inter- 
lude in  the  more  serious  cares  which  now  demand  our 
notice. 


THE   LOST   CIPHER. 


V. 
THE    LOST   CIPHER. 

I  might  spend  many  hours  in  describing  the  impres- 
sion which  this  great  Sovereign  made  upon  my  mind  ; 
but  if  the  part  which  she  took  in  the  conversation  I  have 
detailed  does  not  sufficiently  exhibit  those  qualities  of 
will  and  intellect  which  made  her  the  worthy  compeer  of 
the  King  my  master,  I  should  labour  in  vain.  More- 
over, my  stay  in  her  neighbourhood,  though  Raleigh  and 
Griffin  showed  me  every  civility,  was  short.  An  hour 
after  taking  leave  of  her,  on  the  15th  of  August,  1601, 
I  sailed  from  Dover,  and  crossing  to  Calais  without  mis- 
hap anticipated  with  pleasure  the  King's  satisfaction 
when  he  should  hear  the  result  of  my  mission,  and  learn 
from  my  mouth  the  just  and  friendly  sentiments  which 
Queen  Elizabeth  entertained  towards  him. 

Unfortunately  I  was  not  able  to  impart  these  on  the 
instant.  During  my  absence  a  trifling  matter  had  car- 
ried the  King  to  Dieppe,  whence  his  anxiety  on  the 
Queen's  account,  who  was  shortly  to  be  brought  to  bed, 
led  him  to  take  the  road  to  Paris.  He  sent  word  to  me 
to  follow  him,  but  necessarily  some  days  elapsed  before 
we  met ;  an  opportunity  of  which  his  enemies  and  mine 
were  quick  to  take  advantage,  and  that  so  insidiously  and 
1  113 


H4      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

with  so  much  success  as  to  imperil  not  my  reputation 
only  but  his  happiness. 

The  time  at  their  disposal  was  increased  by  the  fact 
that  when  I  reached  the  Arsenal  I  found  the  Louvre 
vacant,  the  Queen,  who  lay  at  Fontainebleau,  having 
summoned  the  King  thither.  Ferret,  his  secretary, 
however,  awaited  me  with  a  letter,  in  which  Henry,  after 
expressing  his  desire  to  see  me,  bade  me  nevertheless 
stay  in  Paris  a  day  to  transact  some  business.  "Then," 
he  continued,  "come  tome,  my  friend,  and  we  will  dis- 
cuss the  matter  of  which  you  know.  In  the  meantime 
send  me  your  papers  by  Ferret,  who  will  give  you  a 
receipt  for  them." 

Suspecting  no  danger  in  a  course  which  was  usual 
enough,  I  hastened  to  comply.  Summoning  Maignan, 
who,  whenever  I  travelled,  carried  my  portfolio,  I  un- 
locked it,  and  emptying  the  papers  in  a  mass  on  the 
table,  handed  them  in  detail  to  Ferret.  Presently,  to 
my  astonishment,  I  found  that  one,  and  this  the  most 
important,  was  missing.  I  went  over  the  papers  again, 
and  again,  and  yet  again.  Still  it  was  not  to  be 
found. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  whenever  I  travelled  on  a 
mission  of  importance  I  wrote  my  despatches  in  one  of 
three  modes,  according  as  they  were  of  little,  great,  or 
the  first  importance  ;  in  ordinary  characters  that  is,  in  a 
cipher  to  which  the  council  possessed  the  key,  or  in  a 
cipher  to  which  only  the  King  and  I  held  keys.  This 
last,  as  it  was  seldom  used,  was  rarely  changed  ;  but  it 
was  my  duty,  on  my  return  from  each  mission,  immedi- 


THE  LOST  CIPHER. 


"5 


ately  to  remit  my  key  to  the  King,  who  deposited  it  in  a 
safe  place  until  another  occasion  for  its  use  arose. 

It  was  this  key  which  was  missing.     I  had  been  accus- 


I   HANDED  THEM   IN   DETAIL  TO   FERRET 

tomed  to  carry  it  in  the  portfolio  with  the  other  papers ; 
but  in  a  sealed  envelope  which  I  broke  and  again  sealed 
with  my  own  signet  whenever  I  had  occasion  to  use  the 
cipher.  I  had  last  seen  the  envelope  at  Calais,  when  I 
handed  the  portfolio  to  Maignan  before   beginning  my 


n6      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

journey   to    Paris;    the   portfolio    had    not    since    been 
opened,  yet  the  sealed  packet  was  missing. 

More  than  a  little  uneasy,  I  recalled  Maignan,  who 
had  withdrawn  after  delivering  up  his  charge.  "You 
rascal !  "  I  said  with  some  heat.  "  Has  this  been  out  of 
your  custody  ? " 

"The  bag?"  he  answered,  looking  at  it.  Then  his 
face  changed.  "You  have  cut  your  finger,  my  lord,"  he 
said. 

I  had  cut  it  slightly  in  unbuckling  the  portfolio,  and 
a  drop  or  two  of  blood  had  fallen  on  the  papers.  But 
his  reference  to  it  at  this  moment,  when  my  mind  was 
full  of  my  loss,  angered  me,  and  even  awoke  my  sus- 
picions. "  Silence  !  "  I  said,  "  and  answer  me.  Have 
you  let  this  bag  out  of  your  possession  ?  " 

This  time  he  replied  straightforwardly  that  he  had 
not. 

"  Nor  unlocked  it  ?  " 
"  I  have  no  key,  your  excellency." 
That  was  true  ;  and  as  I  had  at  bottom  the  utmost 
confidence  in  his  fidelity,  I  pursued  the  inquiry  no  far- 
ther in  that  direction,  but  made  a  third  search  among 
the  papers.  This  also  failing  to  bring  the  packet  to 
light,  and  Ferret  being  in  haste  to  be  gone,  I  was 
obliged  for  the  moment  to  put  up  with  the  loss,  and 
draw  what  comfort  I  could  from  the  reflection  that  no 
despatch  in  the  missing  cipher  was  extant.  Whoever 
had  stolen  it,  therefore,  another  could  be  substituted 
for  it  and  no  one  the  worse.  Still  I  was  unwilling  that 
the  King:  should  hear  of  the  mischance  from  a  stranger, 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  Xly 

and  be  led  to  think  me  careless ;  and  I  bade  Ferret  be 
silent  about  it  unless  Henry  missed  the  packet,  which 
might  not  happen  before  my  arrival. 

When  the  secretary,  who  readily  assented,  had  given 
me  his  receipt  and  was  gone,  I  questioned  Maignan 
afresh  and  more  closely,  but  with  no  result.  He  had 
not  seen  me  place  the  packet  in  the  portfolio  at  Calais, 
and  that  I  had  done  so  I  could  vouch  only  my  own 
memory,  which  I  knew  to  be  fallible.  In  the  mean- 
time, though  the  mischance  annoyed  me,  I  attached  no 
great  importance  to  it  ;  but  anticipating  that  a  word  of 
explanation  would  satisfy  the  King,  and  a  new  cipher 
dispose  of  other  difficulties,  I  dismissed  the  matter 
from  my  mind. 

Twenty-four  hours  later,  however,  I  was  rudely 
awakened.  A  courier  arrived  from  Henry,  and  sur- 
prising me  in  the  midst  of  my  last  preparations  at  the 
Arsenal,  handed  me  an  order  to  attend  his  Majesty  ;  an 
order  couched  in  the  most  absolute  and  peremptory 
terms,  and  lacking  all  those  friendly  expressions  which 
the  King  never  failed  to  use  when  he  wrote  to  me.  A 
missive  so  brief  and  so  formal  —  and  so  needless,  for  I 
was  on  the  point  of  starting  —  had  not  reached  me  for 
years ;  and  coming  at  this  moment  when  I  had  no 
reason  to  expect  a  reverse  of  fortune,  it  had  all  the 
effect  of  a  thunder-bolt  in  a  clear  sky.  I  stood  stunned, 
the  words  which  I  was  dictating  to  my  secretary  dying 
on  my  lips.  For  I  knew  the  King  too  well,  and  had 
experienced  his  kindness  too  lately,  to  attribute  the 
harshness  of  the  order  to  chance  or  forgetfulness  ;  and, 


n8       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

assured  in  a  moment  that  I  stood  face  to  face  with  a 
grave  crisis,  I  found  myself  hard  put  to  it  to  hide  my 
feelings  from  those  about  me. 

Nevertheless,  I  did  so  with  an  effort  ;  and,  sending 
for  the  courier,  asked  him  with  an  assumption  of  careless- 
ness what  was  the  latest  news  at  Court.  His  answer, 
in  a  measure,  calmed  my  fears,  though  it  could  not 
remove  them.  He  reported  that  the  Queen  had  been 
taken  ill  —  or  so  the  rumour  went. 

"  Suddenly  ?  "   I  said. 

"  This  morning,"  he  answered. 

"  The  King  was  with  her  ?  " 

"  Yes,  your  excellency." 

"Had  he  left  her  long  when  he  sent  this  letter  ? " 

"  It  came  from  her  chamber,  your  excellency." 

"But  —  did  you  understand  that  her  Majesty  was  in 
danger  ? "    I  urged. 

As  to  that,  however,  the  man  could  not  say  anything  ; 
and  I  was  left  to  nurse  my  conjectures  during  the  long 
ride  to  Fontainebleau,  where  we  arrived  in  the  cool  of 
the  evening,  the  last  stage  through  the  forest  awaken- 
ing memories  of  past  pleasure  that  combated  in  vain 
the  disorder  and  apprehension  which  held  my  spirits. 
Dismounting  in  the  dusk  at  the  door  of  my  apartments, 
I  found  a  fresh  surprise  awaiting  me  in  the  shape  of 
M.  de  Concini,  the  Italian  ;  who  advancing  to  meet  me 
before  my  foot  was  out  of  the  stirrup,  announced  that 
he  came  from  the  King,  who  desired  my  instant  attend- 
ance in  the  Queen's  closet. 

Knowing  Concini  to  be  one  of  those  whose  influence 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  Tlg 

with  her  Majesty  had  more  than  once  tempted  the 
King  to  the  most  violent  measures  against  her  —  from 
which  I  had  with  difficulty  dissuaded  him  —  I  augured 
the  worst  from  the  choice  of  such  a  messenger  ;  and 
wounded  alike  in  my  pride  and  the  affection  in  which  I 
held  the  King,  could  scarcely  find  words  in  which  to 
ask  him  if  the  Queen  was  ill. 

"  Indisposed,  my  lord,"  he  replied  carelessly.  And 
he  began  to  whistle. 

I  told  him  that  I  would  remove  my  boots  and  brush 
off  the  dust,  and  in  five  minutes  be  at  his  service. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said,  "  my  orders  are  strict ;  and 
they  are  to  request  you  to  attend  his  Majesty  immedi- 
ately.    He  expected  you  an  hour  ago." 

I  was  thunderstruck  at  this  —  at  the  message,  and  at 
the  man's  manner  ;  and  for  a  moment  I  could  scarcely 
restrain  my  indignation.  Fortunately  the  habit  of  self- 
control  came  to  my  aid  in  time,  and  I  reflected  that 
an  altercation  with  such  a  person  could  only  lower  my 
dignity.  I  contented  myself,  therefore,  with  signifying 
my  assent  by  a  nod,  and  without  more,  followed  him 
towards  the  Queen's  apartments. 

In  the  ante-chamber  were  several  persons,  who  as  I 
passed  saluted  me  with  an  air  of  shyness  and  incerti- 
tude which  was  enough  of  itself  to  put  me  on  my 
guard.  Concini  attended  me  to  the  door  of  the  cham- 
ber ;  there  he  fell  back,  and  Mademoiselle  Galigai,  who 
was  in  waiting,  announced  me.  I  entered,  assuming  a 
serene  countenance,  and  found  the  King  and  Queen 
together,  no  other  person  being  present.     The  Queen 


l2o      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

was  lying  at  length  on  a  couch,  while  Henry,  seated 
on  a  stool  at  her  feet,  seemed  to  be  engaged  in  soothing 
and  reassuring  her.  On  my  entrance,  he  broke  off 
and  rose  to  his  feet. 

"Here  he  is  at  last,"  he  said,  barely  looking  at  me. 
"  Now,  if  you  will,  dear  heart,  ask  him  your  questions. 
I  have  had  no  communication  with  him,  as  you  know, 
for  I  have  been  with  you  since  morning." 

The  Queen,  whose  face  was  flushed  with  fever,  made 
a  fretful  movement  but  did  not  answer. 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  ask  him?"  Henry  said  with 
admirable  patience. 

"  If  you  think  it  is  worth  while,"  she  muttered, 
turning  sullenly  and  eyeing  me  from  the  middle  of  her 
pillows  with  disdain  and  ill-temper. 

"  I  will,  then,"  he  answered,  and  he  turned  to  me. 
"M.  de  Rosny,"  he  said  in  a  formal  tone,  which  even 
without  the  unaccustomed  monsieur  cut  me  to  the  heart, 
"be  good  enough  to  tell  the  Queen  how  the  key  to  my 
secret  cipher,  which  I  entrusted  to  you,  has  come  to  be 
in  Madame  de  Verneuil's  possession." 

I  looked  at  him  in  the  profoundest  astonishment,  and 
for  a  moment  remained  silent,  trying  to  collect  my 
thoughts  under  this,  unexpected  blow.  The  Queen 
saw  my  hesitation  and  laughed  spitefully.  "  I  am 
afraid,  sire,"  she  said,  "  that  you  have  overrated  this 
gentleman's  ingenuity,  though  doubtless  it  has  been 
much  exercised  in  your  service." 

Henry's  face  grew  red  with  vexation.  "  Speak,  man ! " 
he  cried.      "  How  came  she  by  it  ? " 


I  ' 


"¥^pifc 


The  Queen  was  lying-  at  length. 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  I2i 

"  Madame  de  Verneuil  ?  "  I  said. 

The  Queen  laughed  again.  "  Had  you  not  better 
take  him  out  first,  sir,"  she  said  scornfully,  "and  tell 
him  what  to  say  ?  " 

"'Fore  God,  Madame,"  the  King  cried  passionately, 
"you  try  me  too  far!  Have  I  not  told  you  a  hundred 
times,  and  sworn  to  you,  that  I  did  not  give  Madame  de 
Verneuil  this  key? " 

"If  you  did  not  give  her  that,"  the  Queen  muttered 
sullenly,  picking  at  the  silken  coverlid  which  lay  on  her 
feet,  "  you  have  given  her  all  else.  You  cannot  deny 
it." 

Henry  let  a  gesture  of  despair  escape  him. 

"Are  we  to  go  back  to  that  ?  "  he  said.  Then  turn- 
ing to  me,  "Tell  her,"  he  said  between  his  teeth  ;  "and 
tell  me.      Ventre  Saint  Gris  —  are  you  dumb,  man  ?  " 

Discerning  nothing  for  it  at  the  moment  save  to  bow 
before  this  storm,  which  had  arisen  so  suddenly,  and 
from  a  quarter  the  least  expected,  I  hastened  to  comply. 
I  had  not  proceeded  far  with  my  story,  however  —  which 
fell  short,  of  course,  of  explaining  how  the  key  came  to 
be  in  Madame  de  Verneuil's  hands  —  before  I  saw  that 
it  won  no  credence  with  the  Queen,  but  rather  confirmed 
her  in  her  belief  that  the  King  had  given  to  another 
what  he  had  denied  to  her.  And  more  ;  I  saw  that  in 
proportion  as  the  tale  failed  to  convince  her,  it  excited 
the  King's  wrath  and  disappointment.  He  several  times 
cut  me  short  with  expressions  of  the  utmost  impatience, 
and  at  last,  when  I  came  to  a  lame  conclusion  — since  I 
could  explain  nothing  except  that  the  key  was  gone  — 


122       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

he  could  restrain  himself  no  longer.  In  a  tone  in  which 
he  had  never  addressed  me  before,  he  asked  me  why  I 
had  not,  on  the  instant,  communicated  the  loss  to  him  ; 
and  when  I  would  have  defended  myself  by  adducing  the 
reason  I  have  given  above,  overwhelmed  me  with  abuse 
and  reproaches,  which,  as  they  were  uttered  in  the 
Queen's  presence,  and  would  be  repeated,  I  knew,  to  the 
Concinis  and  Galigais  of  her  suite,  who  had  no  occasion 
to  love  me,  carried  a  double  sting. 

Nevertheless,  for  a  time,  and  until  he  had  somewhat 
worn  himself  out,  I  let  Henry  proceed.  Then,  taking- 
advantage  of  the  first  pause,  I  interposed.  Reminding 
him  that  he  had  never  had  cause  to  accuse  me  of  care- 
lessness before,  I  recalled  the  twenty-two  years  during 
which  I  had  served  him  faithfully,  and  the  enmities  I 
had  incurred  for  his  sake  ;  and  having  by  these  means 
placed  the  discussion  on  a  more  equal  footing,  I  de- 
scended again  to  particulars,  and  asked  respectfully  if  I 
might  know  on  whose  authority  Madame  de  Verneuil 
was  said  to  have  the  cipher. 

"  On  her  own  !  "  the  Queen  cried  hysterically.  "  Don't 
try  to  deceive  me,  for  it  will  be  in  vain.  I  know  she  has 
it  ;  and  if  the  King  did  not  give  it  to  her,  who  did  ? " 

"That  is  the  question,  Madame,"  I  said. 

"  It  is  one  easily  answered,"  she  retorted.  "  If  you 
do  not  know,  ask  her." 

"  But,  perhaps,  Madame,  she  will  not  answer,"  I  ven- 
tured. 

"  Then  command  her  to  answer  in  the  King's  name  !  " 
the  Queen  replied,  her  cheeks  burning  with  fever.  "  And 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  123 

if  she  will  not,  then  has  the  King  no  prisons — no  fet- 
ters smooth  enough  for  those  dainty  ankles  ?  " 

This  was  a  home  question,  and  Henry,  who  never 
showed  to  less  advantage  than  when  he  stood  between 
two  women,  cast  a  sheepish  glance  at  me.  Unfortu- 
nately the  Queen  caught  the  look,  which  was  not  intended 
for  her ;  and  on  the  instant  it  awoke  all  her  former  sus- 
picions. Supposing  that  she  had  discovered  our  collu- 
sion, she  flung  herself  back  with  a  cry  of  rage,  and 
bursting  into  a  passion  of  tears,  gave  way  to  frantic 
reproaches,  wailing  and  throwing  herself  about  with  a 
violence  which  could  not  but  injure  one  in  her  condition. 

The  King  stared  at  her  for  a  moment  in  sheer  dismay. 
Then  his  chagrin  turned  to  anger  ;  which,  as  he  dared 
not  vent  it  on  her,  took  my  direction.  He  pointed  im- 
petuously to  the  door.  "  Begone,  sir !  "  he  said  in  a 
passion,  and  with  the  utmost  harshness.  "  You  have 
done  mischief  enough  here.  God  grant  that  we  see  the 
end  of  it !  Go  —  go  !  "  he  continued,  quite  beside  him- 
self with  fury.  "  Send  Galigai  here,  and  do  you  go  to 
your  lodging  until  you  hear  from  me  !  " 

Overwhelmed  and  almost  stupefied  by  the  catastrophe, 
I  found  my  way  out  I  hardly  knew  how,  and  sending  in 
the  woman,  made  my  escape  from  the  ante-chamber. 
But  hasten  as  I  might,  my  disorder,  patent  to  a  hundred 
curious  eyes,  betrayed  me  ;  and,  if  it  did  not  disclose  as 
much  as  I  feared  or  the  inquisitive  desired,  told  more 
than  any  had  looked  to  learn.  Within  an  hour  it  was 
known  at  Nemours  that  his  Majesty  had  dismissed  me 
with  high  words  —  some  said  with  a  blow;  and  half  a 


124      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

dozen  couriers  were  on  the  road  to  Paris  with  the 
news. 

In  my  place  some  might  have  given  up  all  for  lost ; 
but  in  addition  to  a  sense  of  rectitude,  and  the  conscious- 
ness of  desert,  I  had  to  support  me  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  King's  temper  ;  which,  though  I  had  never 
suffered  from  it  to  this  extent  before,  I  knew  to  be  on 
occasion  as  hot  as  his  anger  was  short  lived  and  his  dis- 
position generous.  I  had  hopes,  therefore  —  although  I 
saw  dull  faces  enough  among  my  suite,  and  some  pale 
ones  —  that  the  King's  repentance  would  overtake  his 
anger,  and  its  consequences  outstrip  any  that  might  flow 
from  his  wrath.  But  though  I  was  not  altogether  at 
fault  in  this,  I  failed  to  take  into  account  one  thing — I 
mean  Henry's  anxiety  on  the  Queen's  account,  her  con- 
dition, and  his  desire  to  have  an  heir ;  which  so  affected 
the  issue,  that  instead  of  fulfilling  my  expectations  the 
event  left  me  more  despondent  than  before.  The  King 
wrote,  indeed,  and  within  the  hour,  and  his  letter  was  in 
form  an  apology.  But  it  was  so  lacking  in  graciousness, 
so  stiff,  though  it  began,  "  My  good  friend  Rosny,"  and 
so  insincere,  though  it  referred  to  my  past  services,  that 
when  I  had  read  it  I  stood  awhile  gazing  at  it,  afraid  to 
turn  lest  De  Vic  and  Varennes,  who  had  brought  it, 
should  read  my  disappointment  in  my  face. 

For  I  could  not  hide  from  myself  that  the  gist  of  the 
letter  lay,  not  in  the  expressions  of  regret  which  opened 
it,  but  in  the  complaint  which  closed  it ;  wherein  the 
King  sullenly  excused  his  outbreak  on  the  ground  of  the 
magnitude  of  the  interests  which  my  carelessness  had 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  1 25 

endangered,  and  the  opening  to  harass  the  Queen  which 
I  had  heedlessly  given.  "This  cipher,"  he  said,  "has 
long  been  a  whim  with  my  wife,  from  whom,  for  good 
reasons  well  known  to  you  and  connected  with  the 
Grand  Duke's  court,  I  have  thought  fit  to  withhold  it. 
Now  nothing  will  persuade  her  that  I  have  not  granted 
to  another  what  I  refused  her.  I  tremble,  my  friend, 
lest  you  be  found  to  have  done  more  ill  to  France  in  a 
moment  of  carelessness  than  all  your  services  have  done 
good." 

It  was  not  difficult  to  find  a  threat  underlying  these 
words,  nor  to  discern  that  if  the  Queen's  fancy  remained 
unshaken,  and  ill  came  of  it,  the  King  would  hardly 
forgive  me.  Recognising  this,  and  that  I  was  face  to 
face  with  a  crisis  from  which  I  could  not  escape  but  by 
the  use  of  my  utmost  powers,  I  assumed  a  serious  and 
thoughtful  air ;  and  without  affecting  to  disguise  the 
fact  that  the  King  was  displeased  with  me,  dismissed 
the  envoys  with  a  few  civil  speeches,  in  which  I  did  not 
fail  to  speak  of  his  Majesty  in  terms  that  even  malevo- 
lence could  not  twist  to  my  disadvantage. 

When  they  were  gone,  doubtless  to  tell  Henry  how 
I  had  taken  it,  I  sat  clown  to  supper  with  La  Font, 
Boisrueil,  and  two  or  three  gentlemen  of  my  suite  ;  and, 
without  appearing  too  cheerful,  contrived  to  eat  with 
my  usual  appetite.  Afterwards  I  withdrew  in  the  ordi- 
nary course  to  my  chamber,  and  being  now  at  liberty  to 
look  the  situation  in  the  face,  found  it  as  serious  as  I 
had  feared.  The  falling  man  has  few  friends  ;  he  must 
act  quickly  if  he  would  retain  any.     I  was  not  slow  in 


126      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

deciding  that  my  sole  chance  of  an  honourable  escape 
lay  in  discovering  —  and  that  within  a  few  hours  —  who 
stole  the  cipher  and  conveyed  it  to  Madame  de  Verneuil; 
and  in  placing  before  the  Queen  such  evidence  of  this 
as  must  convince  her. 

By  way  of  beginning,  I  summoned  Maignan  and  put 
him  through  a  severe  examination.  Later,  I  sent  for 
the  rest  of  my  household  —  such,  I  mean,  as  had  accom- 
panied me  —  and  ranging  them  against  the  walls  of  my 
chamber,  took  a  flambeau  in  my  hand  and  went  the 
round  of  them,  questioning  each,  and  marking  his  air 
and  aspect  as  he  answered.  But  with  no  result ;  so 
that  after  following  some  clues  to  no  purpose,  and  sus- 
pecting several  persons  who  cleared  themselves  on  the 
spot,  I  became  assured  that  the  chain  must  be  taken  up 
at  the  other  end,  and  the  first  link  found  among  Madame 
de  Verneuil' s  following. 

By  this  time  it  was  nearly  midnight,  and  my  people 
were  dropping  with  fatigue.  Nevertheless,  a  sense  of 
the  desperate  nature  of  the  case  animating  them,  they 
formed  themselves  voluntarily  into  a  kind  of  council, 
all  feeling  their  probity  attacked ;  in  which  various 
modes  of  forcing  the  secret  from  those  who  held  it 
were  proposed  —  Maignan's  suggestions  being  especially 
violent.  Doubting,  however,  whether  Madame  had  more 
than  one  confidante,  I  secretly  made  up  my  mind  to  a 
course  which  none  dared  to  suggest ;  and  then  dismiss- 
ing all  to  bed,  kept  only  Maignan  to  lie  in  my  chamber, 
that  if  any  points  occurred  to  me  in  the  night  I  might 
question  him  on  them. 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  1 27 

At  four  o'clock  I  called  him,  and  bade  him  go  out 
quietly  and  saddle  two  horses.  This  clone,  I  slipped  out 
myself  without  arousing  any  one,  and  mounting  at  the 
stables,  took  the  Orleans  road  through  the  forest.  My 
plan  was  to  strike  at  the  head,  and  surprising  Madame 
de  Verneuil  while  the  event  still  hung  uncertain,  to 
wrest  the  secret  from  her  by  trick  or  threat.  The 
enterprise  was  desperate,  for  I  knew  the  stubbornness 
and  arrogance  of  the  woman,  and  the  inveterate  enmity 
which  she  entertained  towards  me,  more  particularly 
since  the  King's  marriage.  But  in  a  dangerous  case 
any  remedy  is  welcome. 

I  reached  Malesherbes,  where  Madame  was  residing 
with  her  parents,  a  little  before  seven  o'clock,  and  riding 
without  disguise  to  the  chateau  demanded  to  see  her. 
She  was  not  yet  risen,  and  the  servants,  whom  my 
appearance  threw  into  the  utmost  confusion,  objected 
this  to  me ;  but  I  knew  that  the  excuse  was  no  real  one, 
and  answered  roughly  that  I  came  from  the  King,  and 
must  see  her.  This  opened  all  doors,  and  in  a  moment 
I  found  myself  in  her  chamber.  She  was  sitting  up  in 
bed,  clothed  in  an  elegant  nightrail,  and  seemed  in  no- 
wise surprised  to  see  me.  On  the  contrary,  she  greeted 
me  with  a  smile  and  a  taunting  word  ;  and  omitted  noth- 
ing that  might  evince  her  disdain  or  hurt  my  dignity. 
She  let  me  advance  without  offering  me  a  chair ;  and 
when,  after  saluting  her,  I  looked  about  for  one,  I  found 
that  all  the  seats  except  one  very  low  stool  had  been 
removed  from  the  room. 

This  was  so  like  her  that  it  did  not  astonish  me,  and 


I28      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

I  baffled  her  malice  by  leaning  against  the  wall.  "  This 
is  no  ordinary  honour — from  M.  de  Rosny  !  "  she  said, 
flouting  me  with  her  eyes. 

"  I  come  on  no  ordinary  mission,  Madame,"  I  said  as 
gravely  as  I  could. 

"  Mercy!"  she  exclaimed  in  a  mocking  tone.  "I 
should  have  put  on  new  ribbons,  I  suppose  !" 


SHE  WAS  SITTING  UP   IN   BED 

"  From  the  King,  Madame,"  I  continued,  not  allowing 
myself  to  be  moved,  "  to  inquire  how  you  obtained  pos- 
session of  his  cipher." 

She  laughed  loudly.  "  Good,  simple  King,"  she  said, 
"to  ask  what  he  knows  already  !  " 

"He  does  not  know,  Madame,"  I  answered  severely. 

"What  ?  "  she  cried,  in  affected  surprise.  "  When  he 
crave  it  to  me  himself  !  " 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  l2g 

"  He  did  not,  Madame." 

"He  did,  sir!"  she  retorted,  firing  up.  "Or  if  he 
did  not,  prove  it  —  prove  it!  And,  by  the  way,"  she 
continued,  lowering  her  voice  again,  and  reverting  to 
her  former  tone  of  spiteful  badinage,  "how  is  the  dear 
Queen  ?  I  heard  that  she  was  indisposed  yesterday,  and 
kept  the  King  in  attendance  all  day.  So  unfortunate, 
you  know,  just  at  this  time."  And  her  eyes  twinkled 
with  malicious  amusement. 

"  Madame,"  I  said,  "  may  I  speak  plainly  to  you  ?" 

"  I  never  heard  that  you  could  speak  otherwise,"  she 
answered  quickly.  "  Even  his  friends  never  called  M. 
de  Rosny  a  wit ;  but  only  a  plain,  rough  man  who 
served  our  royal  turn  well  enough  in  rough  times ;  but 


"Madame!" 

"  A  trifle  exigeant  and  superfluous." 

After  that,  I  saw  that  it  was  war  to  the  knife  between 
us  ;  and  I  asked  her  in  very  plain  terms  if  she  were  not 
afraid  of  the  Queen's  enmity,  that  she  dared  thus  to 
flaunt  the  King's  favours  before  her. 

"  No  more  than  I  am  afraid  of  yours,"  she  answered 
hardily. 

"But  if  the  King  is  disappointed  in  his  hopes  ?  " 

"You  may  suffer;  very  probably  will,"  she  answered 
slowly  and  smiling,  "not  I.  Besides,  sir  —  my  child 
was  born  dead.      He  bore  that  very  well." 

"Yet,  believe  me,  Madame,  you  run  some  risk." 

"  In  keeping  what  the  King  has  given  me  ? "  she 
answered,  raising  her  eyebrows. 


!30      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  No  !  In  keeping  what  the  King  has  not  given  you  !  " 
I  answered  sternly.      "Whereas,  what  do  you  gain  ?  " 

"Well,"  she  replied,  raising  herself  in  the  bed,  while 
her  eyes  sparkled  and  her  colour  rose,  "  if  you  like,  I  will 
tell  you.  This  pleasure,  for  one  thing —  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  there,  awkward,  booted,  stained,  and  stand- 
ing, waiting  my  will.  That  — which  perhaps  you  call  a 
petty  thing  —  I  gain  first  of  all.  Then  I  gain  your 
ruin,  M.  de  Rosny  ;  I  plant  a  sting  in  that  woman's 
breast  ;  and  for  his  Majesty,  he  has  made  his  bed  and 
may  lie  on  it." 

"  Have  a  care,  Madame !  "  I  cried,  bursting  with 
indignation  at  a  speech  so  shameless  and  disloyal. 
"You   are   playing   a  dangerous  game,   I   warn    you!" 

"And  what  game  have  you  played?"  she  replied, 
transported  on  a  sudden  with  equal  passion.  "  Who 
was  it  tore  up  the  promise  of  marriage  which  the  King 
gave  me  ?  Who  was  it  prevented  me  being  Queen  of 
France  ?  Who  was  it  hurried  on  the  match  with  this 
tradeswoman,  so  that  the  King  found  himself  wedded 
before  he  knew  it?  Who  was  it — but  enough; 
enough  !  "  she  cried,  interrupting  herself  with  a  gesture 
full  of  rage.  "  You  have  ruined  me,  you  and  your  Queen 
between  you,  and  I  will  ruin  you  !  " 

"On  the  contrary,  Madame,"  I  answered,  collecting 
myself  for  a  last  effort,  and  speaking  with  all  the  sever- 
ity which  a  just  indignation  inspired,  "I  have  not  ruined 
you.  But  if  you  do  not  tell  me  that  which  I  am  here  to 
learn  —  I  will !  " 

She  laughed  out   loud.      "  Oh,  you  simpleton  !  "  she 


THE  LOST  CIPHER. 


131 


said.  "  And  you  call  yourself  a  statesman  !  Do  you 
not  see  that  if  I  do  not  tell  it,  you  are  disgraced  your- 
self and  powerless,  and  can  do  me  no  harm  ?  Tell 
it  you?  When  I  have  you  all  on  the  hip  —  you,  the 
Kimr,  the  Oueen  !  Not  for  a  million  crowns,  M.  de 
Rosny  !  " 

"  And  that  is  your  answer,  Madame  ?  "  I  said,  choking 
with  rage.  It  had  been  long  since  any  had  dared  so  to 
beard  me. 

"Yes,"  she  replied  stoutly;  "it  is!  Or,  stay;  you 
shall  not  go  empty-handed."  And  thrusting  her  arm 
under  the  pillow  she  drew  out,  after  a  moment's  search, 
a  small  packet,  which  she  held  out  towards  me.  "  Take 
it !  "  she  said,  with  a  taunting  laugh.  "  It  has  served 
my  turn.     What  the  King  gave  me,  I  give  you." 

Seeing  that  it  was  the  missing  key  to  the  cipher,  I 
swallowed  my  rage  and  took  it  ;  and  being  assured  by 
this  time  that  I  could  effect  nothing  by  staying  longer, 
but  should  only  expose  myself  to  fresh  insults,  I  turned 
on  my  heel,  with  rudeness  equal  to  her  own,  and,  with- 
out taking  leave  of  her,  flung  the  door  open  and  went 
out.  I  heard  her  throw  herself  back  with  a  shrill  laugh 
of  triumph.  But  as,  the  moment  the  door  fell  to  behind 
me,  my  thoughts  began  to  cast  about  for  another  way 
of  escape  —  this  failing  —  I  took  little  heed  of  her,  and 
less  of  the  derisive  looks  to  which  the  household,  quickly 
taking  the  cue,  treated  me  as  I  passed.  I  flung  myself 
into  the  saddle  and  galloped  off,  followed  by  Maignan, 
who  presently,  to  my  surprise,  blurted  out  a  clumsy 
word  of  congratulation. 


I32      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

I  turned  on  him  in  amazement,  and,  swearing  at  him, 
asked  him  what  he  meant. 

"  You  have  got  it,"  he  said  timidly,  pointing  to  the 
packet  which  I  mechanically  held  in  my  hand. 

"  And  to  what  purpose  ? "  I  cried,  glad  of  this  oppor- 
tunity of  unloading  some  of  my  wrath.  "  I  want,  not  the 
paper,  but  the  secret,  fool  !  You  may  have  the  paper  for 
yourself  if  you  will  tell  me  how  Madame  got  it." 

Nevertheless  his  words  led  me  to  look  at  the  packet. 
I  opened  it,  and,  having  satisfied  myself  that  it  con- 
tained the  original  and  not  a  copy,  was  putting  it  up 
again  when  my  eyes  fell  on  a  small  spot  of  blood  which 
marked  one  corner  of  the  cover.  It  was  not  larger 
than  a  grain  of  corn,  but  it  awoke,  first,  a  vague  asso- 
ciation and  then  a  memory,  which  as  I  rode  grew 
stronger  and  more  definite,  until,  on  a  sudden,  dis- 
covery flashed  upon  me — and  the  truth.  I  remem- 
bered where  I  had  seen  spots  of  blood  before  —  on  the 
papers  I  had  handed  to  Ferret  —  and  remembered,  too, 
where  that  blood  had  come  from.  I  looked  at  the  cut 
now,  and,  finding  it  nearly  healed,  sprang  in  my  saddle. 
Of  a  certainty  this  paper  had  gone  through  my  hands 
that  day  !  It  had  been  among  the  others  ;  therefore  it 
must  have  been  passed  to  Ferret  inside  another  when 
I  first  opened  the  bag !  The  rogue,  getting  it  and  see- 
ing his  opportunity,  and  that  I  did  not  suspect,  had 
doubtless  secreted  it,  probably  while  I  was  attending 
to  my  hand. 

I  had  not  suspected  him  before,  because  I  had  ticked 
off  the  earlier  papers  as  I  handed  them  to  him  ;  and 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  !33 

had  searched  only  among  the  rest  and  in  the  bag  for 
the  missing  one.  Now  I  wondered  that  I  had  not  done 
so,  and  seen  the  truth  from  the  beginning;  and  in  my 
impatience  I  found  the  leagues  through  the  forest, 
though  the  sun  was  not  yet  high  and  the  trees  shel- 
tered us,  the  longest  I  had  ridden  in  my  life.  When 
the  roofs  of  the  chateau  at  length  appeared  before  us, 
I  could  scarcely  keep  my  pace  within  bounds.  Reflecting 
how  Madame  de  Verneuil  had  overreached  herself,  and 
how,  by  indulging  in  that  last  stroke  of  arrogance,  she 
had  placed  the  secret  in  my  hands,  I  had  much  ado  to 
refrain  from  going  to  the  King  booted  and  unwashed  as 
I  was ;  and  though  I  had  not  eaten  since  the  previous 
evening. 

However,  the  habit  of  propriety,  which  no  man  may 
lightly  neglect,  came  to  my  aid.  I  made  my  toilet,  and, 
having  broken  my  fast  standing,  hastened  to  the  Court. 
On  the  way  I  learned  that  the  King  was  in  the  Queen's 
garden,  and,  directing  my  steps  thither,  found  him  walk- 
ing with  my  colleagues,  Villeroy  and  Sillery,  in  the 
little  avenue  which  leads  to  the  garden  of  the  Concier- 
gerie.  A  number  of  the  courtiers  were  standing  on 
the  low  terrace  watching  them,  while  a  second  group 
lounged  about  the  Queen's  staircase.  Full  of  the  news 
which  I  had  for  the  King,  I  crossed  the  terrace  ;  taking 
no  particular  heed  of  any  one,  but  greeting  such  as 
came  in  my  way  in  my  usual  fashion.  At  the  edge  of 
the  terrace  I  paused  a  moment  before  descending  the 
three  steps ;  and  at  the  same  moment,  as  it  happened, 
Henry  looked  up,  and  our  eyes  met.     On  the  instant 


I34      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

he  averted  his  gaze,  and,  turning  on  his  heel  in  a 
marked  way,  retired  slowly  to  the  farther  end  of  the 
walk. 

The  action  was  so  deliberate  that  I  could  not  doubt 
he  meant  to  slight  me ;  and  I  paused  where  I  was, 
divided  between  grief  and  indignation,  a  mark  for  all 
those  glances  and  whispered  gibes  in  which  courtiers 
indulge  on  such  occasions.  The  slight  was  not 
rendered  less  serious  by  the  fact  that  the  King  was 
walking  with  my  two  colleagues ;  so  that  I  alone 
seemed  to  be  out  of  his  confidence,  as  one  soon  to  be 
out  of  his  councils  also. 

I  perceived  all  this,  and  was  not  blind  to  the  sneer- 
ing smiles  which  were  exchanged  behind  my  back ;  but 
I  affected  to  see  nothing,  and  to  be  absorbed  in  sudden 
thought.  In  a  minute  or  two  the  King  turned  and 
came  back  towards  me ;  and  again,  as  if  he  could  not 
restrain  his  curiosity,  looked  up  so  that  our  eyes  met. 
This  time  I  thought  that  he  would  beckon  me  to  him, 
satisfied  with  the  lengths  to  which  he  had  already 
carried  his  displeasure.  But  he  turned  again,  with  a 
light  laugh. 

At  this  a  courtier,  one  of  Sillery's  creatures,  who  had 
presumed  on  the  occasion  so  far  as  to  come  to  my 
elbow,  thought  that  he  might  safely  amuse  himself  with 
me.  "I  am  afraid  that  the  King  grows  older,  M.  de 
Rosny,"  he  said,  smirking  at  his  companions.  "  His 
sight  seems  to  be  failing." 

"It  should  not  be  neglected  then,"  I  said  grimly. 
"  I  will  tell  him  presently  what  you  say." 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  I35 

He  fell  back,  looking  foolish  at  that,  at  the  very 
moment  that  Henry,  having  taken  another  turn,  dis- 
missed Villeroy,  who,  wiser  than  the  puppy  at  my 
elbow,  greeted  me  with  particular  civility  as  he  passed. 
Freed  from  him,  Henry  stood  a  moment  hesitating. 
He  told  me  afterwards  that  he  had  not  turned  from  me 
a  yard  before  his  heart  smote  him  ;  and  that  but  for  a 
mischievous  curiosity  to  see  how  I  should  take  it,  he 
would  not  have  carried  the  matter  so  far.  Be  that 
as  it  may  —  and  I  do  not  doubt  this,  any  more  than 
I  ever  doubted  the  reality  of  the  affection  in  which  he 
held  me  —  on  a  sudden  he  raised  his  hand  and  beck- 
oned to  me. 

I  went  clown  to  him  gravely,  and  not  hurriedly.  He 
looked  at  me  with  some  signs  of  confusion  in  his  face. 
"You  are  late  this  morning,"  he  said. 

"  I  have  been  on  your  Majesty's  business,"  I  an- 
swered. 

"I  do  not  doubt  that,"  he  replied  querulously,  his 
eyes  wandering.  "  I  am  not  — I  am  troubled  this  morn- 
ing." And  after  a  fashion  he  had  when  he  was  not  at 
his  ease,  he  ground  his  heel  into  the  soil  and  looked 
down  at  the  mark.  "The  Queen  is  not  well.  Sillery 
has  seen  her,  and  will  tell  you  so." 

M.  de  Sillery,  whose  constant  opposition  to  me  at 
the  council-board  I  have  elsewhere  described,  began  to 
affirm  it.  I  let  him  go  on  for  a  little  time,  and  then 
interrupted  him  brusquely.  "  I  think  it  was  you,"  I 
said,  "  who  nominated  Ferret  to  be  one  of  the  King's 
clerks." 


136      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"  Ferret  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  reddening  at  my  tone,  while 
the  King,  who  knew  me  well,  pricked  up  his  ears. 

"Yes,"  I  said  ;  "  Ferret." 

"And  if  so?"  Sillery  asked,  haughtily.  "What  do 
you  mean  ?  " 

"Only  this,"  I  said.  "That  if  his  Majesty  will  sum- 
mon him  to  the  Queen's  closet,  without  warning  or  delay, 
and  ask  him  in  her  presence  how  much  Madame  de 
Verneuil  gave  him  for  the  King's  cipher,  her  Majesty,  I 
think,  will  learn  something  which  she  wishes  to  know." 

"What  ?  "  the  King  cried.  "  You  have  discovered  it  ? 
But  he  gave  you  a  receipt  for  the  papers  he  took." 

"For  the  papers  he  took  with  my  knowledge  —  yes, 
sire." 

"The  rogue!"  Sillery  exclaimed  viciously.  "I  will 
go  and  fetch  him." 

"Not  so  —  with  your  Majesty's  leave,"  I  said,  inter- 
posing quickly.  "  M.  de  Sillery  may  say  too  much  or 
too  little.  Let  a  lackey  take  a  message,  bidding  him  go 
to  the  Queen's  closet,  and  he  will  suspect  nothing." 

The  King  assented,  and  bade  me  go  and  give  the 
order.  When  I  returned,  he  asked  me  anxiously  if  I 
felt  sure  that  the  man  would  confess. 

"Yes,  if  you  pretend  to  know  all,  sire,"  I  answered. 
"He  will  think  that  Madame  has  betrayed  him." 

"Very  well,"  Henry  said.     "  Then  let  us  go." 

But  I  declined  to  be  present ;  partly  on  the  ground 
that  if  I  were  there  the  Queen  might  suspect  me  of 
inspiring  the  man,  and  partly  because  I  thought  that 
the  rogue  would  entertain  a  more  confident  hope  of  par- 


THE  LOST  CIPHER.  x^ 

don,  and  be  more  likely  to  confess,  if  he  saw  the  King 
alone.  I  contrived  to  keep  Sillery  also ;  and  Henry 
giving  the  word,  as  he  mounted  the  steps,  that  he  should 
be  back  presently,  the  whole  court  remained  in  a  state 
of  suspense,  aware  that  something  was  in  progress  but 
in  doubt  what,  and  unable  to  decide  whether  I  were 
again  in  favour  or  now  on  my  trial. 

Sillery  remained  talking  to  me,  principally  on  English 
matters,  until  the  dinner  hour ;  which  came  and  went, 
neglected  by  all.  At  length,  when  the  curiosity  of  the 
mass  of  courtiers,  who  did  not  dare  to  interrupt  us,  had 
been  raised  by  delay  to  an  almost  intolerable  pitch,  the 
King  returned,  with  signs  of  disorder  in  his  bearing ; 
and,  crossing  the  terrace  in  half  a  dozen  strides,  drew 
me  hastily,  along  with  Sillery,  into  the  grove  of  white 
mulberry  trees.  There  we  were  no  sooner  hidden  in 
part,  though  not  completely,  than  he  threw  his  arms 
about  me  and  embraced  me  with  the  warmest  expres- 
sions. "Ah,  my  friend,"  he  said,  putting  me  from  him 
at  last,  "what  shall  I  say  to  you  ? " 

"The  Queen  is  satisfied,  sire?" 

"Perfectly;  and  desires  to  be  commended  to  you." 

"  He  confessed,  then  ?  " 

Henry  nodded,  with  a  look  in  his  face  that  I  did  not 
understand.  "Yes,"  he  said,  "fully.  It  was  as  you 
thought,  my  friend.     God  have  mercy  upon  him  !  " 

I  started.     "  What  ?  "  I  said.     "  Has  he " 

The  King  nodded,  and  could  not  repress  a  shudder. 
"Yes,"  he  said;  "but  not,  thank  Heaven,  until  he  had 
left  the  closet.     He  had  something  about  him." 


138      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

Sillery  began  anxiously  to  clear  himself ;  but  the 
King,  with  his  usual  good  nature,  stopped  him,  and  bade 
us  all  go  and  dine,  saying  that  we  must  be  famished. 
He  ended  by  directing  me  to  be  back  in  an  hour,  since 
his  own  appetite  was  spoiled.  "  And  bring  with  you  all 
your  patience,"  he  added,  "for  I  have  a  hundred  ques- 
tions to  ask  you.  We  will  walk  towards  Avon,  and  I 
will  show  you  the  surprise  which  I  am  preparing  for  the 
Queen." 

Alas,  I  would  I  could  say  that  all  ended  there.  But 
the  rancour  of  which  Madame  de  Verneuil  had  given 
token  in  her  interview  with  me  was  rather  aggravated 
than  lessened  by  the  failure  of  her  plot  and  the  death  of 
her  tool.  It  proved  to  be  impenetrable  by  all  the  kind- 
nesses which  the  King  lavished  upon  her;  neither  the 
legitimation  of  the  child  which  she  soon  afterwards  bore, 
nor  the  clemency  which  the  King — against  the  advice 
of  his  wisest  ministers  —  extended  to  her  brother  Au- 
vergne,  availing  to  expel  it  from  her  breast.  How  far 
she  or  that  ill-omened  family  were  privy  to  the  accursed 
crime  which,  nine  years  later,  palsied  France  on  the 
threshold  of  undreamed-of  glories,  I  will  not  take  on 
myself  to  say  ;  for  suspicion  is  not  proof.  But  history, 
of  which  my  beloved  master  must  ever  form  so  great  a 
part,  will  lay  the  blame  where  it  should  rest. 


THE  GOVERNOR  OF  GUERET. 


VI. 

THE   GOVERNOR   OF   GUERET. 

Without  attaching  to  dreams  greater  importance 
than  a  prudent  man  will  always  be  willing  to  assign  to 
the  unknown  and  unintelligible,  I  have  been  in  the  habit 
of  reflecting  on  them  ;  and  have  observed  with  some 
curiosity  that  in  these  later  years  of  my  life,  during 
which  France  has  enjoyed  peace  and  comparative  pros- 
perity, my  dreams  have  most  often  reproduced  the 
stormy  rides  and  bivouacs  of  my  youth,  with  all  the 
rough  and  bloody  accompaniments  which  our  day  knows 
only  by  repute.  Considering  these  visions,  and  com- 
paring my  sleeping  apathy  with  my  daylight  reflections, 
I  have  been  led  to  wonder  at  the  power  of  habit ;  which 
alone  makes  it  possible  for  a  man  who  has  seen  a  dozen 
stricken  fields,  and  viewed,  scarcely  with  emotion,  the 
slaughter  of  a  hundred  prisoners,  to  turn  pale  at  the  sight 
of  a  coach  accident,  and  walk  a  mile  rather  than  see  a 
rogue  hang. 

I  am  impelled  to  this  train  of  thought  by  an  advent- 
ure that  befell  me  in  the  summer  of  this  year  1605  ; 
and  which,  as  it  seemed  to  me  in  the  happening  to  be 
rather  an  evil  dream  of  old  times  than  a  waking  episode 
of  these,  may  afford  the  reader  some  diversion,  besides 

141 


I42      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

relieving  the  necessary  tedium  of  the  thousand  particulars 
of  finance  that  render  the  five  farms  a  study  of  the 
utmost  intricacy. 

My  appointment  to  represent  the  King  at  the  Assem- 
bly of  Chatelherault  had  carried  me  in  the  month  of 
July  into  Poitou.  Being  there,  and  desirous  of  learning 
for  myself  whether  the  arrest  of  Auvergne  had  pacified 
his  country  to  the  extent  described  by  the  King's  agents, 
I  determined  to  take  advantage  of  a  vacation  of  the 
Assembly  and  venture  as  far  in  that  direction  as  Gueret ; 
though  Henry,  fearing  lest  the  malcontents  should  make 
an  attempt  on  my  person  in  revenge  for  the  death  of 
Biron,  had  strictly  charged  me  not  to  approach  within 
twenty  leagues  of  the  Limousin. 

I  had  with  me  for  escort  at  Chatelherault  a  hundred 
horse  ;  but,  these  seeming  to  be  either  too  many  or  too 
few  for  the  purpose,  I  took  with  me  only  ten  picked  men 
with  Colet  their  captain,  five  servants  heavily  armed, 
and  of  my  gentlemen  Boisrueil  and  La  Font.  Parabere, 
to  whom  I  opened  my  mind,  consented  to  be  my  com- 
panion. I  gave  out  that  I  was  going  to  spend  three- 
days  at  Preuilly,  to  examine  an  estate  there  which  I 
thought  of  buying,  that  I  might  have  a  residence  in  my 
government  ;  and,  having  amused  the  curious  with  this 
statement,  I  got  away  at  daybreak,  and  by  an  hour  before 
noon  was  at  Touron,  where  I  stayed  for  dinner.  That 
night  we  lay  at  a  village,  and  the  next  day  dined  at  St. 
Marcel.     The  second  afternoon  we  reached  Crozant. 

Here  I  began  to  observe  those  signs  of  neglect  and 
disorder  which,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  had  been  common 


THE  GOVERNOR   OE  GUERET.  l^$ 

in  all  parts  of  France,  but  in  the  more  favoured  districts 
had  been  erased  by  a  decade  of  peace.  Briars  and 
thorns  choked  the  roads,  which  ran  through  morasses, 
between  fields  which  the  husbandman  had  resigned  to 
tares  and  undergrowth.  Ruined  hamlets  were  common, 
and  everywhere  wolves  and  foxes  and  all  kinds  of  game 
abounded.  But  that  which  roused  my  ire  to  the  hottest 
was  the  state  of  the  bridges,  which  in  this  country, 
where  the  fords  are  in  winter  impassable,  had  been 
allowed  to  fall  into  utter  decay.  On  all  sides  I  found 
the  peasants  oppressed,  disheartened,  and  primed  with 
tales  of  the  King's  severity,  which  those  who  had  just 
cause  to  dread  him  had  instilled  into  them.  Bands  of 
robbers  committed  daily  excesses,  and,  in  a  word,  no  one 
thing  was  wanting  to  give  the  lie  to  the  rose-coloured 
reports  with  which  Bareilles,  the  Governor  of  Gueret, 
had  amused  the  Council. 

I  confess  that,  at  sight  and  thought  of  these  things 
—  of  this  country  so  devoured,  the  King's  authority  so 
contemned,  all  evils  laid  at  his  door,  all  his  profits 
diverted  —  my  anger  burned  within  me,  and  I  said  more 
to  Parabere  than  was  perhaps  prudent,  telling  him,  in 
particular,  what  I  designed  against  Bareilles,  of  whose 
double-dealing  I  needed  no  further  proof;  by  what 
means  I  proposed  to  lull  his  suspicions  for  the  moment, 
since  we  must  lie  at  Gueret,  and  how  I  would  afterwards, 
on  the  first  occasion,  have  him  seized  and  punished. 

I  forgot,  while  I  avowed  these  things,  that  one  weak- 
ness of  Parabere's  character  which  rendered  him  unable 
to  believe  evil  of  any  one.     Even  of  Bareilles,  though 


I44      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

the  two  were  the  merest  acquaintances,  he  could  only 
think  indulgently,  because,  forsooth,  he  too  was  a  Prot- 
estant. He  began  to  defend  him  therefore,  and,  seeing 
how  the  ground  lay,  after  a  time  I  let  the  matter  drop. 

Still  I  did  not  think  that  he  had  been  serious  in  his 
plea,  and  that  which  happened  on  the  following  morning 
took  me  completely  by  surprise.  We  had  left  Crozant 
an  hour,  and  I  was  considering  whether,  the  road  being 
bad,  we  should  even  now  reach  Gueret  before  night,  when 
Parabere,  who  had  made  some  excuse  to  ride  forward, 
returned  to  me  with  signs  of  embarrassment  in  his 
manner. 

"My  friend,"  he  said,  "here  is  a  message  from 
Bareilles." 

"  How  ?  "  I  exclaimed.     "  A  message  ?     For  whom  ?  " 
"  For  you,"  he  said  ;  "  the  man  is  here." 
"But  how  did  Bareilles  know  that  I  was  coming?" 
I  asked. 

Parabere's  confusion  furnished  me  with  the  answer 
before  he  spoke.  "Do  not  be  angry,  my  friend,"  he 
said.  "  I  wanted  to  do  Bareilles  a  good  turn.  I  saw 
that  you  were  enraged  with  him,  and  I  thought  that  I 
could  not  help  him  better  than  by  suggesting  to  him  to 
come  and  meet  you  in  a  proper  spirit,  and  make  the 
explanations  which  I  am  sure  that  he  has  it  in  his  power 
to  make.  Yesterday  morning,  therefore,  I  sent  to  him." 
"And  he  is  here  ?  "  I  said  drily. 

Parabere  admitted  with  a  blush  that  he  was  not.  His 
messenger  had  found  Bareilles  on  the  point  of  starting 
against  a  band  of  plunderers  who  had  ravaged  the  coun- 


THE   GOVERNOR    OF  GUERET.  145 

try  for  a  twelvemonth.  He  had  sent  me  the  most  civil 
messages  therefore  —  but  he  had  not  come.  "  However, 
he  will  be  at  Gueret  to-morrow,"  Parabere  added  cheer- 
fully. 

"Will  he?"  I  said. 

"Jl  will  answer  for  it,"  he  answered.  "In  the  mean- 
time, he  has  done  what  he  can  for  our  comfort." 

"How?  "  I  said. 

"  He  bids  us  not  to  attempt  the  last  three  leagues  to 
Gueret  to-night ;  the  road  is  too  bad.  But  to  stay  at 
Saury,  where  there  is  a  good  inn,  and  to-morrow  morning 
he  will  meet  us  there." 

"  If  the  brigands  have  not  proved  too  much  for  him," 
I  said. 

"Yes,"  Parabere  answered,  with  a  simplicity  almost 
supernatural.     "To  be  sure." 

After  this,  it  was  no  use  to  say  anything  to  him, 
though  his  officiousness  would  have  justified  the  keenest 
reproaches.  I  swallowed  my  resentment,  therefore,  and 
we  went  on  amicably  enough,  though  the  valley  of  the 
Creuse,  in  its  upper  and  wilder  part,  through  which  our 
road  now  wound,  offered  no  objects  of  a  kind  to  soften 
my  anger  against  the  governor.  I  saw  enough  of  ruins, 
of  blocked  defiles,  and  overgrown  roads  ;  but  of  return- 
ing prosperity  and  growing  crops,  and  the  King's  peace, 
I  saw  no  sign  —  not  so  much  as  one  dead  robber. 

About  noon  we  alighted  to  eat  a  little  at  a  wretched 
tavern  by  one  of  the  innumerable  fords.  A  solitary 
traveller  who  was  here  before  us,  and  for  a  time  kept 
aloof,  wearing  a  grand  and  mysterious  manner  with  a 

L 


I46      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

shabby  coat,  presently  moved ;  edging  himself  up  to  me 
where  I  sat  a  little  apart,  eating  with  Parabere  and  my 
gentlemen. 

"  Sir,"  he  said,  on  a  sudden  and  without  preface,  "  I 
see  that  you  are  the  leader  of  this  party." 

As  I  was  more  plainly  dressed  than  Parabere,  and 
had  been  giving  no  orders,  I  wondered  how  he  knew ; 
but  I  answered,  without  any  remark,  "  Well,  sir ;  and 
what  of  that?" 

"You  are  in  great  danger,"  he  replied. 

"  I  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  you  !  "  he  answered. 

"You  know  me  ?  " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Not  I,"  he  said,  "but 
those  who  speak  by  me.  Enough  that  you  are  in 
danger." 

"From  what?"  I  asked  sceptically;  while  my  com- 
panions stared,  and  the  troopers  and  servants,  who  were 
just  within  hearing,  listened  open-mouthed. 

"A  one-eyed  woman  and  a  one-eyed  house,"  he 
answered  darkly.  Then,  before  I  could  frame  a  ques- 
tion, he  turned  from  me  as  abruptly  as  he  had  come, 
and,  mounting  a  sorry  mare  that  stood  near,  stumbled 
away  through  the  ford. 

It  required  little  wit  to  see  that  the  man  was  an 
astrologer,  and  one  whose  predictions,  if  they  had  not 
profited  his  clients  more  than  himself,  had  been  ominous 
indeed.  I  was  inclined,  therefore,  to  make  sport  of  him, 
knowing  that  the  pretenders  to  that  art  are  to  the  true 
men  as  ten  to  one.     But  his  words,  and  particularly  the 


We  found  the  houses 


ruined  and  tenantless. 


THE  GOVERNOR    OF  GUERET.  147 

fact  that  he  had  asked  for  nothing,  had  impressed  my 
followers  differently  ;  so  that  they  talked  of  nothing 
else  while  we  ate,  and  could  still  be  heard  discussing 
him  in  the  saddle.  The  wildness  of  the  road  and  the 
gloomy  aspect  of  the  valley  had  doubtless  some  effect 
on  their  minds ;  which  a  thunderstorm  that  shortly 
afterwards  overtook  us  and  drenched  us  to  the  skin  did 
not  tend  to  lighten.  I  was  glad  to  see  the  roofs  of 
Saury  before  us ;  though,  on  a  nearer  approach,  we 
found  all  the  houses  except  the  inn  ruined  and  tenant- 
less  ;  and  even  that  scorched  and  scarred,  with  the 
great  gate  that  had  once  closed  its  courtyard  prostrate 
in  the  road  before  it. 

However,  in  view  of  the  country  we  had  come 
through,  and  the  general  desolation,  we  were  thank- 
ful to  find  things  no  worse.  The  village  stood  at  the 
entrance  to  a  gorge,  with  the  C reuse  —  here  a  fast- 
rushing  stream  —  running  at  the  back  of  the  inn.  The 
latter  was  of  good  size,  stone-built  and  tiled,  and,  at 
first,  seemed  to  be  empty  ;  but  the  servants  presently 
unearthed  a  man  and  then  a  boy.  Fires  were  lit,  and 
the  horses  stabled  ;  and  a  second  room  with  a  chimney 
being  found,  Parabere  and  I,  with  Colet  and  my  gentle- 
men, took  possession  of  it,  leaving  the  kitchen  to  my 
following. 

I  had  had  my  boots  removed,  and  was  drying  my 
clothes  and  expecting  supper,  when  Boisrueil,  who  was 
beside  me,  uttered  an  exclamation  of  amazement. 

"What  is  it?"  I  said. 

He    did    not    answer,    and    I  followed    his    eyes.     A 


I48      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

woman    had    just  entered  the    room  with   a  bundle    of 
sticks.     She  had  one  eye  ! 

I  confess  that,  for  an  instant,  this  staggered  me  ;  but 
a  moment's  thought  reminded  me  that  the  astrologer 
had  come  from  this  inn  to  us,  and  I  smiled  at  the  cre- 
dulity which  would  have  built  on  a  coincidence  that  was 
no  coincidence.  When  the  woman  had  retired  again, 
therefore,  I  rallied  Boisrueil  on  his  timidity ;  but,  though 
he  admitted  the  correctness  of  my  reasoning,  I  saw 
that  he  was  not  entirely  convinced.  He  started  when- 
ever a  shutter  flapped,  or  the  draughts,  which  searched 
the  grim  old  building  through  and  through,  threatened 
to  extinguish  our  lights.  He  hung  cloaks  over  the  win- 
dows—  to  obviate  the  latter  inconvenience  he  said  — 
and  was  continually  going  out  and  coming  back  with 
gloomy  looks.  Parabere  joined  me  in  rallying  him, 
which  we  did  without  mercy  ;  but  when  I  had  occasion, 
after  a  while,  to  pass  through  the  outer  room  I  found 
that  he  was  not  alone  in  his  fears.  The  troopers  sat 
moodily  listening,  or  muttered  together ;  while  the  cup 
passed  round  in  silence.  When  I  bade  a  man  go  on  an 
errand  to  the  stable,  four  went ;  and  when  I  dropped  a 
word  to  the  woman  who  was  attending  to  her  pot,  a 
dozen  heads  were  stretched  out  to  catch  the  answer. 

Such  a  feeling  —  to  which,  in  this  instance,  the  mur- 
mur of  the  stream  and  the  steady  downpour  of  rain 
doubtless  added  something  —  is  so  contagious  that  I 
was  not  surprised  to  find  Colet  and  La  Font  sinking 
under  it.  Only  Parabere,  in  fact,  rose  quite  superior  to 
the  notion,  laughed  at  their  fears,  and  drank  to  their 


THE  GOVERNOR   OE  GUERET.  I49 

better  spirits  ;  and,  making  the  best  of  the  situation,  as 
became  an  old  soldier,  presently  engaged  me  in  tales  of 
the  war  —  fought  again  the  siege  of  Laon,  and  buried 
men  whose  bodies  had  lain  for  ten  years  under  the  oaks 
at  Fontaine  Francoise. 

Talk  of  this  kind,  which  we  still  maintained  after  we 
had  despatched  our  supper,  was  sufficiently  engrossing 
to  erase  Boisrueil's  fancies  entirely  from  my  mind. 
They  were  recalled  by  his  sudden  entrance,  with  Colet 
at  his  elbow,  the  faces  of  both  full  of  importance.  I  saw 
that  they  had  something  to  say,  and  asked  what  it  was. 

"  We  have  been  examining  the  back  gate,  M.  le  Mar- 
quis," Colet  said. 

"  Well,  man  ?  " 

"  It  is  barricaded,  and  cannot  be  opened,"  he  answered. 

"Well,"  I  said  again,  "  there  is  nothing  wonderful  in 
that.  Any  one  can  see  that  there  has  been  rough  work 
here.  The  front  gate  was  stormed,  I  suppose,  and  the 
back  one  left  standing." 

"  But  it  is  so  barricaded  that  it  is  not  possible  to  open 
it,"  he  objected.     "And  the  men  have  an  idea " 

"Well?"  I  said,  seeing  that  he  hesitated. 

"That  this  is  a  one-eyed  house." 

Parabere  laughed  loudly.  "  Of  course  it  is  !  "  he  said. 
"  That  strolling  rogue  saw  the  gate  as  well  as  the  woman, 
and  made  his  profit  of  them." 

"Pardon,  sir!"  Boisrueil  answered  bluntly,  "that  is 
just  what  he  did  not  do  !  " 

"Well,"  I  said,  silencing  him  by  a  gesture,  "is  that 
all  ? " 


150      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  No,"  he  replied  ;  "  I  have  tasted  the  men's  wine." 

"  And  it  is  drugged  ?  " 

"  No,"  he  said.  "  On  the  contrary,  it  is  a  great  deal 
too  good  for  the  price  —  or  the  house.  And  you  ordered 
a  litre  apiece.  Some  have  had  two,  and  not  asked  twice 
for  it !  " 

"  Ho,  ho  !  "  I  said,  staring  at  him.  "Are  you  sure  of 
that  ? " 

"  Quite  !  "  he  said. 

I  was  genuinely  startled  at  last ;  but  Parabere  still 
made  light  of  it.  "What !  "  he  said.  "  Are  we  a  pack 
of  nervous  women,  or  one  poor  traveller  in  a  solitary 
inn,  that  we  see  shadows  and  shake  at  them  ? " 

"The  inn  is  solitary  enough,"  Boisrueil  grumbled. 

"But  we  are  twenty  swords!"  Parabere  retorted, 
opening  his  eyes  wide.  "Why,  I  have  ridden  all  day 
in  an  enemy's  country  with  less ! " 

"And  been  beaten  with  more  at  Craon." 

"But,  man  alive,  that   was   in    a   battle,  and    by  an 


army 


"Well,  and  there  may  be  a  battle  and  an  army  here," 
Boisrueil  answered  sulkily. 

I  was  inclined  to  laugh  at  this  as  extravagance  ;  but 
seeing  that  La  Font  and  Colet  sided  with  Boisrueil,  I 
remembered  that  the  latter  was  no  coward  though  a 
great  gossip ;  and  I  thought  better  of  it.  Accordingly, 
resolving  to  look  into  the  thing  myself,  I  bade  La  Font 
fetch  a  couple  of  lanthorns,  and,  when  he  had  done  so, 
went  out  with  him  and  Boisrueil  as  if  I  had  a  mind  to 
go  round  the  horses  before  I  retired.     Parabere  declined 


THE  GOVERNOR   OF  GUERET.  151 

to  accompany  me  on  the  ground  that  he  would  not  be 
at  the  pains  of  it ;  and  Colet  I  left  in  the  kitchen  to 
keep  an  eye  on  the  man  and  woman. 

There  was  no  moon,  rain  was  still  falling,  and  the 
yard,  crowded  with  steaming,  shivering  horses,  was  dreary 
enough  where  the  lanthorns  displayed  it ;  but,  accus- 
tomed to  such  a  sight,  I  made,  without  regarding  it,  for 
the  gate,  which  a  moment's  examination  showed  to  be 
barricaded,  as  they  had  described,  with  great  beams  and 
stones.  In  this  there  was  nothing  beyond  the  ordinary, 
one  entrance  to  a  house  being  in  troublous  times  better 
than  two  ;  but  Boisrueil,  bidding  me  kneel  and  look 
lower,  I  found,  when  I  did  so,  that  the  soil  under  the 
beams  —  which  did  not  touch  the  ground  by  some 
inches — was  wet,  and  I  began  to  understand.  When  he 
asked  me  at  what  hour  rain  had  begun  to  fall,  I  answered 
two  in  the  afternoon,  and  drew  at  once  the  inference  at 
which  he  aimed — that  the  beams  had  been  put  there, 
and  the  gate  barricaded,  at  some  later  hour. 

"  We  reached  here  at  six,"  he  said ;  "  it  was  done 
some  time  between  two  and  six,  my  lord ;  therefore 
to-day.  To-day,"  he  repeated  in  a  low  voice  ;  "  and  by 
a  dozen  men  at  least.  Fewer  could  not  move  those 
beams." 

"And  the  object  ?" 

"To  prevent  our  escape." 

"  But  who  are  they  ?  "   I  said,  looking  at  him. 

"  The  woman  knows,"  he  answered.  "  We  must  ask 
her,  my  lord." 

I  assented  ;  and  we  went  back  into  the  house,  where 


152 


MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


it  would  not  have  surprised  me  if  we  had  found  the 
wretches  flown  and  the  nest  empty.  But  Colet  had 
done  his  work  too  well.  They  were  both  there,  and,  in 
a  moment,  at  a  signal  from  Boisrueil,  were  secured  and 
pinioned.  Parabere,  hearing  "the  scuffle,  came  out  and 
would  have  remonstrated,  but  I  silenced  him  with  a 
sharp  word  ;  and,  despatching  La  Font  with  a  couple  of 
discreet  men  to  keep  watch  in  the  court  that  we  might 
not  be  surprised,  I  bade  one  of  the  servants  throw  some 
fir-cones  on  the  fire.  These,  blazing  up,  filled  the  squalid 
room  in  a  moment  with  a  glare  of  light,  which  revealed 
alike  the  livid  faces  of  the  two  prisoners  and  the  excited 
looks  and  dark  countenances  of  my  escort. 

I  bade  them  put  the  woman  forward  first,  and 
addressed  her  sternly,  telling  her  that  I  knew  all,  and 
that  she  would  do  well  to  confess ;  inasmuch  as  if  she 
made  a  clean  breast  of  the  matter,  I  would  grant  her 
her  life,  and  if  she  did  not,  she  would  be  the  first  to  die, 
since  I  would  hang  her  were  a  single  shot  fired  against 
the  house. 

The  promise  found  her  unmoved,  but  the  threat, 
uttered  in  a  tone  which  showed  that  I  was  in  earnest, 
proved  more  effectual.  With  an  ugly  look,  under  which 
my  men  shrank  as  if  her  eye  had  power  to  scorch  them, 
the  hag  said  that  she  would  confess,  and,  with  impotent 
rage  admitted  the  truth  of  Boisrueil's  surmises.  The 
rearward  gate  had  been  barricaded  that  afternoon  by 
the  Great  Band,  who  had  had  notice  of  our  coming, 
and  intended  to  attack  us  at  midnight.  I  asked  her 
how  many  they  mustered. 


THE  GOVERNOR    OE  GUERET.  ^3 

"  A  hundred,"  she  answered  sullenly. 

"Very  well,"  I  said.  "  And,  supposing  that  we  do  not 
wait  for  them,  how  shall  we  escape  ?  By  the  road  to 
Gueret  ? " 

"Fifty  lie  in  ambush  on  it." 

"  By  the  road  by  which  we  came  ?  " 

"  The  other  fifty  lie  there." 

"  Across  the  river  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  ford." 

"Then  in  the  village?  If  we  seize  some  other  build- 
ing?" 

"The  village  is  watched,  and  this  house,"  she  an- 
swered, with  a  sparkle  of  joy  in  her  eye. 

At  that  the  position  began  to  assume  so  serious  an 
aspect  that  I  turned  to  Parabere  to  take  his  advice. 
We  numbered  twenty  in  all,  and  were  well  armed  ;  but 
five  to  one  are  large  odds,  and  we  had  little  ammunition, 
while,  for  all  we  knew,  the  house  might  be  fired  with 
ease  from  the  outside.  The  roads  north  and  south 
being  occupied,  and  the  river  enclosing  us  on  the  west, 
there  remained  only  one  direction  in  which  escape 
seemed  possible ;  but,  as  we  knew  nothing  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  brigands  everything,  the  desperate  idea  of 
plunging  into  it  blindly,  at  night,  and  with  pursuers  at 
our  heels,  was  dismissed  as  soon  as  formed. 

Parabere  interrupted  these  calculations  by  drawing 
me  aside  into  the  room  in  which  we  had  supped,  where, 
after  rallying  me  on  the  whimsical  notion  of  the  Grand 
Master  of  the  Ordnance  and  Governor  of  the  Bastille 
being  besieged  in  a  paltry  inn,  he  confessed  that  he  had 


154      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

been  wrong,  and  that  the  adventure  was  likely  to  prove 
serious.  "  Ten  to  one  this  is  the  very  band  that  Bareilles 
is  pursuing,"  he  said. 

"  Very  likely,"  I  answered  bluntly  ;  "  but  the  question 
is  how  are  we  to  evade  them.     Are  we  to  fight  or  fly  ? " 

"Well,  for  fighting,"  he  replied  coolly;  "the  front 
gate  lies  in  the  road,  there  are  no  shutters  to  half  the 
windows,  the  door  is  crazy,  and  there  is  a  thatched  pent- 
house against  one  wall." 

"And  no  help  nearer  than  Gueret." 

"Three  leagues,"  he  assented.  "And  from  that  we 
are  cut  off.  Fifty  men  in  the  gorge  might  hold  it 
against  five  hundred.  Better  man  the  courtyard  here 
than  that,  tether  the  horses  in  the  gateway,  and  fight  it 
out." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  I  said ;  and  we  looked  at  one  another, 
hearing  through  the  open  door  the  men  muttering  and 
whispering  in  the  kitchen,  and  above  their  voices  the 
dull  murmur  of  the  stream,  which  seemed  of  a  piece 
with  the  bleak  night  outside,  the  ruined  hamlet,  and  the 
danger  that  lurked  round  us.  Bitterly  repenting  the 
hardihood  that  had  led  me  to  expose  myself  to  such 
risks  in  breach  of  the  King's  commandment,  I  found  it 
difficult  to  direct  my  mind  to  the  immediate  question. 
So  many  reflections  connected  with  my  mission  at 
Chatelherault  and  other  affairs  of  state  would  intrude 
that  I  seemed  to  be  occupied  rather  with  the  results  of 
my  death  at  this  juncture,  and  particularly  the  injury 
which  it  must  inflict  on  the  King's  service,  than  with 
the  question  how  I  could  escape. 


THE  GOVERNOR    OF  GUERET.  l$$ 

However,  Parabere  soon  recalled  me  to  the  point. 
"It  is  now  ten  o'clock,"  he  said  in  a  placid  tone;  "we 
have  two  hours." 

"Yes,"  I  answered;  then,  as  if  my  mind  had  all  the 
time  been  running  in  an  under-current  to  the  desired 
goal,  I  continued,  "And  we  must  make  the  most  of 
them.  We  must  remove  the  barricade,  in  the  dark  and 
quietly,  from  the  rear  to  the  front  gate.  Do  you  see  ? 
Then  the  moment  they  sound  the  attack  in  front  we 
must  slip  out  at  the  back,  make  a  dash  for  the  road,  and 
through  the  gorge  to  Gueret." 

"  Good,"  Parabere  assented,  with  the  utmost  cool- 
ness.    "  Why  not  ?     Let  us  do  it." 

We  went  in,  and  in  a  moment  the  orders  were  given, 
and,  the  men  being  charged  to  be  silent  and  to  make  as 
little  noise  as  possible  over  the  work,  we  had  every  hope 
of  accomplishing  it  undetected.  To  go  out  into  the 
road  and  raise  and  replace  the  shattered  gate  would 
have  been  too  bold  a  step.  We  contented  ourselves, 
therefore,  with  removing  four  great  baulks  of  timber 
from  the  one  gate  to  the  other,  and  placing  them  across 
the  gap  in  such  a  manner  that,  being  supported  by  large 
stones,  they  formed  a  pretty  high  barrier.  To  these,  at 
BoisrueiTs  suggestion,  were  added  three  doors  which  we 
forced  from  their  hinges  in  the  house,  and  behind  the 
whole,  to  cover  our  retreat  the  better,  we  tethered  six 
sumpter  horses  in  two  lines. 

It  remained  only  to  unbar  the  rear  gate  and  see  that 
it  opened  easily.  This  being  done,  as  we  had  done  all 
the  rest,  stealthily  and  in   darkness,  and  by  men  who 


!56      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

dared  not  speak  above  a  whisper,  I  gave  the  word  to 
hang  the  male  prisoner  and  gag  and  bind  the  woman. 
Colet  undertook  these  duties,  and  with  a  grim  humour 
of  his  own  hung  the  rascally  host  on  the  threshold, 
where  the  brigands  must  run  against  him  when  they 
entered.  Then  I  directed  every  man  to  saddle  and 
bridle  his  nag  and  stand  by  it,  and  so  we  waited  with 
what  patience  we  might  for  the  denouement. 

It  seemed  very  long  in  coming,  yet  when  it  did, 
what  with  the  restless  movements  of  the  horses  and 
the  melancholy  murmur  of  the  stream,  it  well-nigh  took 
us  by  surprise.  It  was  Boisrueil  who  touched  my 
sleeve  and  made  me  aware  of  a  low  trampling  on  the 
road  outside,  a  sound  that  had  scarcely  become  clearly 
audible  before  it  ceased.  I  judged  that  the  moment 
was  come,  and  passed  the  word  in  a  whisper  to  open 
the  gates.  Unfortunately,  they  creaked,  and  I  feared 
for  a  moment  that  I  had  been  premature;  but  before 
they  were  more  than  ajar  a  harsh  whistle  startled 
the  silence,  a  flare  blazed  up  on  the  road,  and  a  voice 
cried  to  charge. 

On  the  instant  the  ground  shook  under  the  assail- 
ants' rush,  but  the  barricade,  which  doubtless  took  the 
rogues  by  surprise,  brought  them  to  a  sudden  stop, 
and  gave  us  time  to  file  out.  The  heavy  rain  which 
was  falling  served  to  cover  our  movements  almost  as 
well  as  the  baggage  horses  which  we  had  posted  for 
the  purpose  ;  while  we  ran  the  less  risk,  inasmuch  as 
the  flare  they  had  kindled  lit  up  the  upper  part  of  the 
house  but  left  the  courtyard  in  perfect  darkness. 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  GUERET.  x^y 

Naturally,  once  outside,  we  did  not  linger  to  see 
what  happened,  but,  filing  in  a  line  and  like  ghosts  up 
the  bank  of  the  stream,  were  glad  to  hit  on  the  road 
a  hundred  and  fifty  paces  away  where  it  entered  the 
gorge.  Here,  where  it  was  as  dark  as  pitch,  we 
whipped  our  horses  into  a  canter  and  made  a  good 
pace  for  half  a  league,  then,  drawing  rein,  let  our 
horses  trot  until  the  league  was  out.  By  that  time  we 
were  through  the  gorge,  and  I  gave  the  word  to  pull 
up,  that  we  might  listen  and  learn  whether  we  were 
pursued.  Before  the  order  had  quite  brought  us  to 
a  standstill,  however,  two  figures  on  a  sudden  rose  out 
of  the  darkness  before  us  and  barred  the  way.  I  was 
riding  in  the  front  rank,  abreast  of  Parabere  and  La 
Font,  and  I  had  just  time  to  lay  my  hand  on  a  pistol 
when  one  of  the  figures  spoke. 

"  Well,  M .  de  Capitaine,  what  luck  ? "  he  cried,  ad- 
vancing, and  drawing  rein  to  turn  with  us. 

I  saw  his  mistake,  and,  raising  my  hand  to  check 
those  behind,  muttered  in  my  beard  that  all  had  gone 
well. 

"You  got  the  man?" 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  peering  at  him  through  the  darkness. 

"Good!"  he  answered.  "Then  now  for  Bareilles, 
supper,  and  a  full  purse ;  and  afterwards,  for  me,  the 
quietest  corner  of  France  !  The  King  will  make  a  fine 
outcry,  and  I  do  not  trust  one  gov " 

In  a  flash  Parabere  had  him  by  the  throat,  and  dragged 
him  in  a  grip  of  iron  on  to  the  withers  of  his  horse. 
Still  he  managed  to  utter  a  cry,  and  the  other  rascal, 


ItS      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

taking  the  alarm,  whipped  his  horse  round,  and  in  a 
second  got  a  start  of  twenty  paces.  Colet,  a  light  man 
and  well  mounted,  was  after  him  in  a  trice,  and  we 
heard  them  go  ding-dong,  ding-dong,  through  the  dark- 
ness for  a  mile  or  more  —  as  it  seemed  to  us.  Then 
a  sharp  scream  came  faintly  down  the  wind. 

"  Good ! "  Parabere  said  cheerfully.  "  Let  us  be 
jogging."  He  had  tied  his  prisoner  neck  and  knees 
over  the  saddle  before  him. 

"You  heard  what  he  said?"  I  muttered,  as  we 
moved  on. 

"  Perfectly,"  he  answered  in  the  same  tone. 

"And  you  think  ?" 

"I  think,  Grand  Master,"  he  replied  drily,  "that  the 
sooner  you  are  out  of  La  Marche  and  Bareilles'  govern- 
ment the  longer  you  are  likely  to  live." 

I  was  quite  of  that  opinion  myself,  having  drawn  the 
same  inferences  from  the  words  the  prisoner  had  uttered. 
But  for  the  moment  I  had  no  alternative  save  to  go  on, 
and  put  a  bold  face  on  the  matter  ;  and  accordingly  I 
,led  the  way  forward  at  as  fast  a  pace  as  the  darkness 
and  the  jaded  state  of  our  horses  permitted.  Colet 
presently  joined  us,  and  half  an  hour  later  a  bunch  of 
lights  which  appeared  on  the  side  of  a  hill  in  front 
proclaimed  that  we  were  nearing  Gueret.  From  this 
point  half  a  league  across  a  rushy  bottom  and  through 
a  ford  brought  us  to  the  gate,  which  opened  before  we 
summoned  it.  I  had  taken  care  to  call  to  the  van  one 
of  my  men  who  knew  the  town  ;  and  he  guided  us 
quickly,  no  one  challenging   us,  through  a  number   of 


THE  GOVERNOR   OF  GUERET.  ^9 

foul,  narrow  streets  and  under  dark  archways,  among 
which  a  stranger  must  have  gone  astray.  We  reached 
at  last  a  good-sized  square,  on  one  side  of  which  — 
though  the  rest  of  the  town  lay  buried  in  darkness  — 
a  large  building,  which  I  judged  to  be  Bareilles'  resi- 
dence, exposed  a  dozen  lighted  windows  to  the  street. 
Two  or  three  figures  lounged  half-seen  on  the  wide 
stone  steps  which  led  up  to  the  entrance,  and  the  rattle 
of  dice,  with  a  murmur  of  voices,  came  from  the  win- 
dows. Without  a  moment's  hesitation  I  dismounted  at 
the  foot  of  the  steps,  and,  bidding  La  Font  and  Bois- 
rueil  attend  me,  with  three  of  the  servants,  I  directed 
Colet  to  withdraw  with  the  rest  and  the  horses  to  the 
farther  end  of  the  square. 

Dreading  nothing  so  much  as  that  I  might  lose  the 
advantage  of  surprise,  I  put  aside  two  of  the  men  on 
the  steps  who  would  have  questioned  me,  and  strode 
boldly  across  the  stone  landing  at  the  head  of  the  flight. 
Here  I  found  two  doors  facing  me,  and  foresaw  the 
possibility  of  error ;  but  I  was  relieved  from  the  burden 
of  choosing  by  the  sudden  appearance  at  one  of  them  of 
Bareilles  himself.  The  place  was  lit  only  by  an  oil  lamp, 
and,  for  a  reason  best  known  to  himself,  he  did  not  look 
directly  at  me,  but  stood  with  his  head  half-turned  as  he 
said,  "Well,  Martin,  is  it  done  ?  " 

I  heard  the  dicers  hold  their  hands  to  catch  the 
answer,  and  in  the  silence  a  bottle  in  some  unsteady  hand 
clinked  against  a  glass.  Through  the  half-open  door 
behind  him  it  was  possible  to  see  a  long  table,  laid  and 
glittering  with  steel  and  plate  ;  and  all  seemed  to  wait. 


160      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

Parabere  broke  the  spell.  "  We  are  late  !  "  he  said  in 
a  ringing  voice,  which  startled  the  governor  as  if  it  had 
been  the  voice  of  doom.  "  But  we  could  not  have  found 
you  better  prepared,  it  seems.  Do  you  always  sup  as 
late  as  this  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  villain  could  not  speak,  but  leaned 
against  the  doorpost,  with  his  cheeks  gone  white  and 
his  jaw  fallen,  the  most  pitiable  spectacle  to  be  conceived. 
I  affected  to  see  nothing,  however,  but  went  by  him 
easily,  and  into  the  room,  drawing  off  my  gauntlets  as  I 
entered.  The  dicers,  from  their  seats  beside  a  table  on 
the  hearth,  gazed  at  me,  turned  to  stone.  I  took  up  a 
dass.  filled  it,  and  drank  it  off.  "Now  I  am  better!" 
I  said.  "But  this  is  not  the  warmest  of  welcomes, 
M.  de  Bareilles." 

He  muttered  something,  looking  fearfully  from  one 
to  another  of  us  ;  and,  his  hand  shaking,  filled  a  glass 
and  pledged  me.  The  wine  gave  him  courage  and  im- 
pudence :  he  began  to  speak  ;  and  though  his  hurried 
sentences  and  excited  manner  must  have  betrayed  him 
to  the  least  suspicious,  we  pretended  to  see  nothing, 
but  rather  to  congratulate  ourselves  on  his  late  hours 
and  timely  preparations.  And  certainly  nothing  could 
have  seemed  more  cheerful  in  comparison  with  the 
squalid  inn  and  miry  road  from  which  we  came  than 
this  smiling  feast ;  if  death  had  not  seemed  to  my  eyes 
to  lurk  behind  it. 

"  I  thought  it  likely  that  you  would  lie  at  Saury,"  he 
said,  with  a  ghastly  smile. 

"  And  yet  made  this  preparation  for  us?  "  I  answered 


THE   GOVERNOR   OF  GC/ERET.  161 

politely,  yet  letting  a  little  of  my  real  mind  be  seen. 
"Well,  as  a  fact,  M.  Bareilles,  save  for  one  thing  we 
should  have  lain  there." 

"And  that  thing?"  he  asked,  his  tongue  almost  fail- 
ing him  as  he  put  the  question. 

"  The  fact  that  you  have  a  villain  in  your  company," 
I  answered. 

"  What  ?  "  he  stammered. 

"A  villain,  M.  le  Capitaine  Martin,"  I  continued 
sternly.  "  You  sent  him  out  this  morning  against  the 
Great  Band  ;  instead,  he  took  it  upon  him  to  lay  a  plot 
for  me,  from  which  I  have  only  narrowly  escaped." 

"Martin?" 

"  Yes,  M.  de  Bareilles,  Martin ! "  I  answered  roundly, 
fixing  him  with  my  eyes ;  while  Parabere  went  quietly 
to  the  door,  and  stood  by  it.  "  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  I 
hear  him  at  this  moment  dismounting  below.  Let  us 
understand  one  another,  therefore.  I  propose  to  sup 
with  you,  but  I  shall  not  sit  down  until  he  hangs." 

It  would  be  useless  for  me  to  attempt  to  paint  the 
mixture  of  horror,  perplexity,  and  shame  which  distorted 
Bareilles'  countenance  as  I  spoke  these  words.  While 
Parabere's  attitude  and  my  demeanour  gave  him  clearly 
to  understand  that  we  suspected  the  truth,  if  we  did 
not  know  it,  our  coolness  and  the  very  nature  of  my 
demand  imposed  upon  his  fears  and  led  him  to  believe 
that  we  had  a  regiment  at  our  call.  He  knew,  too, 
that  that  which  might  be  clone  in  a  ruined  hamlet  might 
not  be  done  in  the  square  at  Gueret  ;  and  his  knees 
trembled  under   him.     He   muttered  that  he   did  not 


1 62      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

understand  ;  that  we  must  be  mistaken.     What  evidence 
had  we  ? 

"  The  best !  "  I  answered  grimly.     "  If  you  wish  to 


,?     mmmm 

I  ANSWERED   ROUNDLY,    FIXING   HIM   WITH   MY   EVES 

hear  it,  I  will  send  for  it ;  but  witnesses  have  some- 
times loose  tongues,  M.  Bareilles,  and  he  may  not  stop 
at  the  Capitaine  Martin." 


THE  GOVERNOR   OF  GUERET.  163 

He  started  and  glared  at  me.  From  me  his  eyes 
passed  to  Parabere ;  then  he  shuddered,  and  looked 
down  at  the  table.  As  he  leaned  against  it,  I  heard 
the  glasses  tinkling  softly.  At  last  he  muttered  that 
the  man  must  have  a  trial. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  and  would  have  answered 
that  that  was  his  business ;  but  at  the  moment  a  heavy 
step  rang  on  the  stone  steps,  the  door  was  flung  hastily 
open,  and  a  dark-complexioned  man  came  in  with  his 
hat  on.  The  stranger  was  splashed  to  the  chin,  and 
his  face  wore  an  expression  of  savage  annoyance ;  but 
this  gave  place  the  instant  he  saw  us  to  one  of  intense 
surprise,  while  the  words  he  had  had  on  his  lips  died 
away,  and  he  stood  nonplussed.  I  turned  to  M.  de 
Bareilles.     "  Who  is  this  ?"  I  said  harshly. 

"  One  of  my  lieutenants,"  he  answered  in  a  stifled 
tone. 

"M.  le  Capitaine  Martin?" 

"The  same,"  he  answered. 

"  Very  well,"  I  replied.    "  You  have  heard  my  terms." 

He  stood  clutching  the  table,  and  in  the  bright  light 
of  the  candles  that  burned  on  it  his  face  was  horrible. 
Still  he  managed  to  speak.  "  M.  le  Capitaine,  call  four 
men,"  he  muttered. 

"Monsieur?"  the  Captain  answered. 

"Call  four  men  —  four  of  your  men,"  Bareilles 
repeated  with  an  effort. 

The  Captain  turned  and  went  downstairs  in  amaze- 
ment, returning  immediately  after  with  four  troopers 
at  his  heels. 


1 64       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

Bareilles'  face  was  ghastly.  "Take  M.  le  Capitaine's 
sword,"  he  said  to  them. 

The  Captain's  jaw  fell,  and,  stepping  back  a  pace,  he 
looked  from  one  to  another.  But  all  were  silent ;  he 
found  every  eye  upon  him,  and,  doubtful  and  taken  by 
surprise,  he  unbuckled  his  sword  and  flung  it  with  an 
oath  upon  the  floor. 

"To  the  garden  with  him!"  Bareilles  continued 
hoarsely.  "  Quick !  Take  him !  I  will  send  you 
your  orders." 

They  laid  hands  on  the  man  mechanically,  and,  un- 
nerved by  the  suddenness  of  the  affair,  the  silence,  and 
the  presence  of  so  many  strangers,  —  ignorant,  too, 
what  was  doing  or  what  was  meant,  he  went  unresist- 
ing. They  marched  him  out  heavily ;  the  door  closed 
behind  them  ;  we  stood  waiting.  The  glittering  table, 
the  lights,  the  arrested  dicers,  all  the  trivial  prepara- 
tions for  a  carouse  that  at  another  time  must  have 
given  a  cheerful  aspect  to  the  room,  produced  instead 
the  most  sombre  impression.  I  waited,  but,  seeing 
that  Bareilles  did  not  move,  I  struck  the  table  with 
my  gauntlet.  "The  order!"  I  said  sharply;  "the 
order ! " 

He  slunk  to  a  table  in  a  corner  where  there  was  ink, 
and  scrawled  it.  I  took  it  from  his  hand,  and,  giving  it 
to  Boisrueil,  "Take  it,"  I  said,  "and  the  three  men 
on  the  landing,  and  see  the  order  carried  out.  When 
it  is  over,  come  and  tell  me." 

He  took  the  order  and  disappeared,  La  Font  after 
him.     I  remained  in  the  room  with  Parabere,  Bareilles, 


THE  GOVERNOR   OF  GUERET.  165 

and  the  dicers.  The  minutes  passed  slowly,  no  one 
speaking ;  Bareilles  standing  with  his  head  sunk  on  his 
breast,  and  a  look  of  utter  despair  on  his  countenance. 
At  length  Boisrueil  and  La  Font  returned.  The 
former  nodded. 

"Very  well,"  I  said.  "Then  let  us  sup,  gentlemen. 
Come,  M.  de  Bareilles,  your  place  is  at  the  head  of  the 
table.  Parabere,  sit  here.  Gentlemen,  I  have  not  the 
honour  of  knowing  you,  but  here  are  places." 

And  we  supped ;  but  not  all  with  the  same  appetite. 
Bareilles,  silent,  despairing,  a  prey  to  the  bitterest 
remorse,  sat  low  in  his  chair,  and,  if  I  read  his  face 
aright,  had  no  thought  but  of  vengeance.  But,  assured 
that  by  forcing  him  to  that  which  must  for  ever  render 
him  odious  —  and  particularly  among  his  inferiors  —  I 
had  sapped  his  authority  at  the  root,  I  took  care  only 
that  he  should  not  leave  us.  I  directed  Colet  to  un- 
saddle and  bivouac  in  the  garden,  and  myself  lay  all 
night  with  Parabere  and  Bareilles  in  the  room  in  which 
we  had  supped,  Boisrueil  and  La  Font  taking  turns  to 
keep  the  door. 

To  have  betrayed  too  much  haste  to  be  gone  might 
have  proved  as  dangerous  as  a  long  delay ;  and  our 
horses  needed  rest.  But  an  hour  before  noon  next  day 
I  gave  the  order  and  we  mounted  in  the  square,  in  the 
presence  of  a  mixed  mob  of  soldiers  and  townsfolk, 
whom  it  needed  but  a  spark  to  kindle.  I  took  care  that 
that  spark  should  be  wanting,  however  ;  and  to  that  end 
I  compelled  Bareilles  to  mount  and  ride  with  us  as  far 
as  Saury.     Here,  where  I  found  the  inn  burned  and  the 


166      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   0F%  FRANCE. 

woman  murdered,  I  should  have  done  no  more  than 
justice  had  I  hung  him  as  well;  and  I  think  that  he 
half  expected  it.  But  reflecting  that  he  had  a  score  of 
relations  in  Poitou  who  might  give  trouble,  and,  besides 
that,  his  position  called  for  some  degree  of  considera- 
tion, I  parted  with  him  gravely,  and  hastened  to  put  as 
many  leagues  between  us  as  possible.  That  night  we 
slept  at  Crozant,  and  the  next  at  St.  Gaultier. 

It  was  chiefly  in  consequence  of  the  observations  I 
made  during  this  journey  that  Henry,  in  the  following 
October,  marched  into  the  Limousin  with  a  considerable 
force  and  received  the  submission  of  the  governors. 
The  details  of  that  expedition,  in  the  course  of  which  he 
put  to  death  ten  or  twelve  of  the  more  disorderly,  will 
be  found  in  another  place.  It  remains  for  me  only  to 
add  here  that  Bareilles  was  not  of  them.  He  escaped  a 
fate  he  richly  deserved  by  flying  betimes  with  Bassignac 
to  Sedan.  Of  his  ultimate  fate  I  know  nothing ;  but  a 
week  after  my  return  to  the  Arsenal,  a  man  called  on 
me  who  turned  out  to  be  the  astrologer.  I  gave  him 
fifty  crowns. 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER. 


VII. 

THE   OPEN    SHUTTER. 

Few  are  ignorant  of  that  weakness  of  the  vulgar 
which  leads  them  to  admire  in  the  great  not  so  much 
the  qualities  which  deserve  admiration  as  those  which, 
in  the  eyes  of  the  better-informed,  are  defects  ;  so  that 
the  amours  of  Caesar,  the  clock-making  of  Charles,  and 
the  jests  of  Coligny  are  more  in  the  mouths  of  men 
than  their  statesmanship  or  valour.  For  one  thing 
commendable,  two  that  are  diverting  are  told  ;  and  for 
one  man  who  in  these  days  recalls  the  thousand  great 
and  wise  deeds  of  the  late  King  a  thousand  remember 
his  occasional  freaks,  the  duel  he  would  have  fought,  or 
his  habit  of  visiting  the  streets  of  Paris  by  night  and  in 
disguise.  That  this  last  has  been  much  exaggerated,  I 
can  myself  bear  witness  ;  for  though  Varenne,  or  Coquet 
the  Master  of  the  Household,  were  his  usual  compan- 
ions on  these  occasions,  he  seldom  failed  to  confess  to 
me  after  the  event,  and  more  than  once  I  accompanied 
him. 

If  I  remember  rightly,  it  was  in  April  or  May  of  this 
year,  1606,  and  consequently  a  few  days  after  his  return 
from  Sedan,  that  he  surprised  me  one  night  as  I  sat  at 
supper,  and,  requesting  me  to  dismiss  my  servants,  let 

169 


I  j0      MEMOIRS   OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

me  know  that  he  was  in  a  flighty  mood  ;  and  that  noth- 
ing would  content  him  but  to  play  the  Caliph  in  my 
company.  I  was  not  too  willing,  for  I  did  not  fail  to 
recognise  the  risk  to  which  these  expeditions  exposed 
his  person  ;  but,  in  the  end,  I  consented,  making  only 
the  condition  that  Maignan  should  follow  us  at  a  dis- 
tance. This  he  conceded,  and  I  sent  for  two  plain 
suits,  and  we  dressed  in  my  closet.  The  King,  delighted 
with  the  frolic,  was  in  his  wildest  mood.  He  uttered 
an  infinity  of  jests,  and  cut  a  thousand  absurd  antics  ; 
and,  rallying  me  on  my  gravity,  soon  came  near  to  mak- 
ing me  repent  of  the  easiness  which  had  led  me  to  fall 
in  with  his  humour. 

However,  it  was  too  late  to  retreat,  and  in  a  moment 
we  were  standing  in  the  street.  It  would  not  have  sur- 
prised me  if  he  had  celebrated  his  freedom  by  some  noisy 
extravagance  there ;  but  he  refrained,  and  contented 
himself  —  while  Maignan  locked  the  postern  behind  us 
—  with  cocking  his  hat  and  lugging  forward  his  sword, 
and  assuming  an  air  of  whimsical  recklessness,  as  if  an 
adventure  were  to  be  instantly  expected. 

But  the  moon  had  not  yet  risen,  the  night  was  dark, 
and  for  some  time  we  met  with  nothing  more  diverting 
than  a  stumble  over  a  dead  dog,  a  word  with  a  forward 
wench,  or  a  narrow  escape  from  one  of  those  liquid 
douches  that  render  the  streets  perilous  for  common 
folk  and  do  not  spare  the  greatest.  Naturally,  I  began 
to  tire,  and  wished  myself  with  all  my  heart  back  at  the 
Arsenal ;  but  Henry,  whose  spirits  a  spice  of  danger 
never  failed  to  raise,  found  a  hundred  things  to  be  merry 


THE  OPEIV  SHUTTER.  I7I 

over,  and  some  of  which  he  made  a  great  tale  of  after- 
wards. He  would  go  on ;  and  presently,  in  the  Rue  de 
la  Pourpointerie,  which  we  entered  as  the  clocks  struck 
the  hour  before  midnight,  his  persistence  was  rewarded. 

By  that  time  the  moon  had  risen  ;  but,  naturally,  few 
were  abroad  so  late,  and  such  as  were  to  be  seen 
belonged  to  a  class  among  whom  even  Henry  did  not 
care  to  seek  adventures.  Our  astonishment  was  great 
therefore  when,  half-way  down  the  street  —  a  street  of 
tall,  mean  houses  neither  better  nor  much  worse  than 
others  in  that  quarter  —  we  saw,  standing  in  the  moon- 
light at  an  open  door,  a  boy  about  seven  years  old. 

The  King  saw  him  first,  and,  pressing  my  arm,  stood 
still.  On  the  instant  the  child,  who  had  probably  seen 
us  before  we  saw  him,  advanced  into  the  road  to  us. 
"  Messieurs,"  he  said,  standing  up  boldly  before  us  and 
looking  at  us  without  fear,  "my  father  is  ill,  and  I  can- 
not close  the  shutter." 

The  boy's  manner,  full  of  self-possession,  and  his  tone, 
remarkable  at  his  age,  took  us  so  completely  by  surprise 
—  to  say  nothing  of  the  late  hour  and  the  deserted  street, 
which  gave  these  things  their  full  effect  —  that  for  a 
moment  neither  of  us  answered.  Then  the  King  spoke. 
"Indeed,  M.  l'Empereur,"  he  said  gravely;  "and  where 
is  the  shutter  ?  " 

The  boy  pointed  to  an  open  shutter  at  the  top  of  the 
house  behind  him. 

"Ah!"  Henry  said.     "  And  you  wish  us  to  close  it  ?  " 

"If  you  please,  messieurs." 

"We  do  please,"  Henry  replied,  saluting  him   with 


1 72      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


mock  reverence. 
"You  may  con- 
sider the  shutter 
closed.  Lead  on, 
monsieur ;  we  fol- 
low." 

For  the  first 
time  the  boy 
looked  doubtful  ; 
but  he  turned 
without  saying 
anything,  and, 
passing  through 
the  doorway,  was 
ia  an  instant  lost 
in  the  pitchy  dark- 
ness of  the  entry. 
I  laid  my  hand  on 
the  King's  arm, 
and  tried  to  in- 
duce him  not  to 
follow;  fearing 
much  that  this 
might  be  some 
new  thieves'  trap, 
leading  nowhither 
save  to  the  poire 
cV an^oissc  and  the 
poniard.  But  the 
attempt  was  hope- 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER.  ^3 

less  from  the  first ;  he  broke  from  me  and  entered,  and 
I  followed  him. 

We  groped  for  the  balustrade  and  found  it,  and  began 
to  ascend,  guided  by  the  boy's  voice ;  who  kept  a  little 
before  us,  saying  continually,  "This  way,  messieurs; 
this  way  !  "  His  words  had  so  much  the  sound  of  a 
signal,  and  the  staircase  was  so  dark  and  ill-smelling, 
that,  expecting  every  moment  to  be  seized  or  to  have  a 
knife  in  my  back,  I  found  it  almost  interminable.  At 
last,  however,  a  gleam  of  light  appeared  above  us,  the 
boy  opened  a  door,  and  we  found  ourselves  standing  on 
a  mean,  narrow  landing,  the  walls  of  which  had  once 
been  whitewashed.  The  child  signed  to  us  to  enter,  and 
we  followed  him  into  a  bare  attic,  where  our  heads 
nearly  touched  the  ceiling. 

"  Messieurs,  the  air  is  keen,"  he  said  in  a  curiously 
formal  tone.     "Will  you  please  to  close  the  shutter?" 

The  King,  amused  and  full  of  wonder,  looked  round. 
The.  room  contained  little  besides  a  table,  a  stool,  and  a 
lamp  standing  in  a  basin  on  the  floor ;  but  an  alcove, 
curtained  with  black,  dingy  hangings,  broke  one  wall. 
"Your  father  lies  there  ? "  Henry  said,  pointing  to  it. 

"Yes,  monsieur." 

"  He  feels  the  cold  ?  " 

"Yes,  monsieur.  Will  you  please  to  close  the 
shutter?" 

I  went  to  it,  and,  leaning  out,  managed,  with  a  little 
difficulty,  to  comply.  Meanwhile,  the  King,  gazing 
curiously  at  the  curtains,  gradually  approached  the 
alcove.     He   hesitated   long,    he    told    me    afterwards, 


j74      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

before  he  touched  the  hangings  ;  but  at  length,  feeling 
sure  that  there  was  something  more  in  the  business  than 
appeared,  he  did  so.  Drawing  one  gently  aside,  as  I 
turned  from  the  window,  he  peered  in;  and  saw  just 
what  he  had  been  led  to  expect — a  huddled  form 
covered  with  dingy  bed-clothes  and  a  grey  head  lying  on 
a  ragged,  yellow  pillow.  The  man's  face  was  turned  to 
the  wall ;  but,  as  the  light  fell  on  him,  he  sighed  and, 
with  a  shiver,  began  to  move.  The  King  dropped  the 
curtain. 

The  adventure  had  not  turned  out  as  well  as  he  had 
hoped  ;  and,  with  a  whimsical  look  at  me,  he  laid  a  crown 
on  the  table,  said  a  kind  word  to  the  boy,  and  we  went 
out.     In  a  moment  we  were  in  the  street. 

It  was  my  turn  now  to  rally  him,  and  I  did  so  with- 
out mercy ;  asking  if  he  knew  of  any  other  beauteous 
damsel  who  wanted  her  shutter  closed,  and  whether  this 
was  the  usual  end  of  his  adventures.  He  took  the  jest 
in  good  part,  laughing  fully  as  loudly  at  himself  as  I 
laughed  ;  and  in  this  way  we  had  gone  a  hundred  paces 
or  so  very  merrily,  when,  on  a  sudden,  he  stopped. 

"  What  is  it,  sire  ?  "   I  asked. 

"  Hola  !  "  he  said,  "the  boy  was  clean." 

"  Clean  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  hands,  face,  clothes.     All  clean." 

-Well,  sire?" 

"  How  could  he  be  ?  His  father  in  bed,  no  one  even 
to  close  the  shutter.     How  could  he  be  clean  ?  " 

"  But,  if  he  was,  sire  ?  " 

For  answer  Henry  seized  me  by  the  arm,  turned  me 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER.  17$ 

round  without  a  word,  and  in  a  moment  was  hurrying 
me  back  to  the  house.  I  thought  that  he  was  going 
thither  again,  and  followed  reluctantly ;  but  twenty 
paces  short  of  the  door  he  crossed  the  street,  and  drew 
me  into  a  doorway.  "  Can  you  see  the  shutter  ? "  he 
said.     "  Yes  ?     Then  watch  it,  my  friend." 

I  had  no  option  but  to  resign  myself,  and  I  nodded. 
A  moist  and  chilly  wind,  which  blew  through  the  street 
and  penetrating  our  cloaks  made  us  shiver,  did  not  tend 
to  increase  my  enthusiasm ;  but  the  King  was  proof 
even  against  this,  as  well  as  against  the  kennel  smells 
and  the  tedium  of  waiting,  and  presently  his  persistence 
was  rewarded.  The  shutter  swung  slowly  open,  the  noise 
made  by  its  collision  with  the  wall  coming  clearly  to 
our  ears.  A  minute  later  the  boy  appeared  in  the  door- 
way, and  stood  looking  up  and  down. 

"  Well,"  the  King  whispered  in  my  ear,  "  what  do  you 
make  of  that,  my  friend  ?  " 

I  muttered  thai  it  must  be  a  beggar's  trick. 

"They  would  not  earn  a  crown  in  a  month,"  he 
answered.  "There  must  be  something  more  than  that 
at  the  bottom  of  it." 

Beginning  to  share  his  curiosity,  I  was  about  to  pro- 
pose that  we  should  sally  out  and  see  if  the  boy  would 
repeat  his  overture  to  us,  when  I  caught  the  sound  of 
footsteps  coming  along  the  street.  "  Is  it  Maignan  ?  " 
the  King  whispered,  looking  out  cautiously. 

"  No,  sire,"  I  said.     "  He  is  in  yonder  doorway." 

Before  Henry  could  answer,  the  appearance  of  two 
strangers  coming  along  the  roadway  confirmed  my  state- 


I76      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

ment.  They  paused  opposite  the  boy,  and  he  advanced 
to  them.  Too  far  off  to  hear  precisely  what  passed,  we 
were  near  enough  to  be  sure  that  the  dialogue  was  in 
the  main  the  same  as  that  in  which  we  had  taken  part. 
The  men  were  cloaked,  too,  as  were  we,  and  presently 
they  went  in,  as  we  had  gone  in.  All,  in  fact,  happened 
as  it  had  happened  to  us,  and  after  the  necessary  interval 
we  saw  and  heard  the  shutter  closed. 

"  Well,"  the  King  said,  "  what  do  you  make  of  that  ?  " 
"  The  shutter  is  the  catch-word,  sire." 
"  Ay,   but  what  is   going  on   up  there  ? "    he  asked. 
And  he  rubbed  his  hands. 

I  had  no  explanation  to  give,  however,  and  shook  my 
head  ;  and  we  stood  awhile,  watching  silently.  At  the 
end  of  five  minutes  the  two  men  came  out  again  and 
walked  off  the  way  they  had  come,  but  more  briskly. 
Henry,  moreover,  whose  observation  was  all  his  life 
most  acute,  remarked  that  whatever  they  had  been  doing 
they  carried  away  lighter  hearts  than  they  had  brought. 
And  I  thought  the  same. 

Indeed,  I  was  beginning  to  take  my  full  share  of 
interest  in  the  adventure  ;  and  in  place  of  wondering,  as 
before,  at  Henry's  persistence,  found  it  more  natural  to 
admire  the  keenness  which  he  had  displayed  in  scenting 
a  mystery.  I  was  not  surprised,  therefore,  when  he 
gripped  my  arm  to  gain  my  attention,  and,  as  the  win- 
dow fell  slowly  open  again,  drew  me  quickly  into  the 
street,  and  hurried  me  across  it  and  through  the  door- 
way of  the  house. 

"Up!"    he    muttered    in    my    ear.      "  Quickly   and 


THE   OPEN  SHUTTER.  iyy 

quietly,  man  !  If  there  are  to  be  other  visitors,  we 
will  play  the  spy.  But  softly,  softly ;  here  is  the 
boy  ! " 

We  stood  aside  against  the  wall,  scarcely  daring  to 
breathe  ;  and  the  child,  guiding  himself  by  the  handrail, 
passed  us  in  the  dark  without  suspicion,  and  pattered  on 
down  the  staircase.  We  remained  as  we  were  until  we 
heard  him  cross  the  threshold,  and  then  we  crept  up  ; 
not  to  the  uppermost  landing,  where  the  light,  when  the 
door  was  opened,  must  betray  us,  but  to  that  immedi- 
ately below  it.  There  we  took  our  stand  in  the  angle 
of  the  stairs  and  waited,  the  King,  between  amusement 
at  the  absurdity  of  our  position  and  anxiety  lest  we 
should  betray  ourselves,  going  off  now  and  again  into 
stifled  laughter,  from  which  he  vainly  strove  to  restrain 
himself  by  pinching  me. 

I  was  not  in  so  gay  a  mood  myself,  however,  the 
responsibility  of  his  safety  lying  heavy  upon  me ;  while 
the  possibility  that  the  adventure  might  prove  no  less 
tragical  in  the  sequel  than  it  now  appeared  comical,  did 
not  fail  to  present  itself  to  my  eyes  in  the  darkest 
colours.  When  we  had  watched,  therefore,  five  minutes 
or  more  —  which  seemed  to  me  an  hour — I  began  to 
lose  faith  ;  and  I  was  on  the  point  of  undertaking  to 
persuade  Henry  to  withdraw,  when  the  voices  of  men 
speaking  at  the  door  below  reached  us,  and  told  me  that 
it  was  too  late.  The  next  moment  their  steps  crossed 
the  threshold,  and  they  began  to  ascend,  the  boy  say- 
ing continually,  "  This  way,  messieurs,  this  way  !  "  and 
preceding  them  as  he  had  preceded  us.     We  heard  them 

N 


178      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

approach,  breathing  heavily,  and  but  for  the  balustrade, 
by  which  I  felt  sure  that  they  would  guide  themselves, 
and  which  stood  some  feet  from  our  corner,  I  should 
have  been  in  a  panic  lest  they  should  blunder  against 
us.  But'  they  passed  safely,  and  a  moment  later  the 
boy  opened  the  door  of  the  room  above.  We  heard 
them  go  in,  and  without  a  second's  hesitation  we  crept 
up  after  them,  following  them  so  closely  that  the  door 
was  scarcely  shut  before  we  were  at  it.  We  heard, 
therefore,  what  passed  from  the  first :  the  child's  request 
that  they  would  close  the  shutter,  their  hasty  com- 
pliance, and  the  silence,  strange  and  pregnant,  which 
followed,  and  which  was  broken  at  last  by  a  solemn 
voice.  "We  have  closed  one  shutter,"  it  said,  "but  the 
shutter  of  God's  mercy  is  never  closed." 

"  Amen,"  a  second  person  answered  in  a  tone  so  dis- 
tant and  muffled  that  it  needed  no  great  wit  to  guess 
whence  it  came,  or  that  the  speaker  was  behind  the 
curtains  of  the  alcove.     "  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"The  cure  of  St.  Marceau,"  the  first  speaker  replied. 

"  And  whom  do  you  bring  to  me  ?  " 

"  A  sinner." 

"What  has  he  done?" 

"  He  will  tell  you." 

"  I  am  listening." 

There  was  a  pause  on  this,  a  long  pause  ;  which  was 
broken  at  length  by  a  third  speaker,  in  a  tone  half  sul- 
len, half  miserable.  "  I  have  robbed  my  master,"  he 
said. 

"  Of  how  much  ?  " 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER.  iyg 

"  Fifty  livres." 

-Why?" 

"  I  lost  it  at  play." 

"  And  you  are  sorry  ?  " 

"  I  must  be  sorry,"  the  man  panted  with  sudden 
fierceness,  "  or  hang  !  "  Hidden  though  he  was  from 
us,  there  was  a  tremor  in  his  voice  that  told  a  tale  of 
pallid  cheeks  and  shaking  knees,  and  a  terror  fast  ris- 
ing to  madness. 

"  He  makes  up  his  accounts  to-morrow  ? " 

-Yes." 

Some  one  in  the  room  groaned  ;  it  should  have  been 
the  culprit,  but  unless  I  was  mistaken  the  sound  came 
through  the  curtains.  A  long  pause  followed.  Then, 
"  And  if  I  help  you,"  the  muffled  voice  resumed,  "will 
you  swear  to  lead  an  honest  life  ?  " 

But  the  answer  may  be  guessed.  I  need  not  repeat 
the  assurances,  the  protestations  and  vows  of  repent- 
ance, the  cries  and  tears  of  gratitude  which  ensue ; 
and  to  which  the  poor  wretch,  stripped  of  his  sullen  in- 
difference, completely  abandoned  himself.  Suffice  it 
that  we  presently  heard  the  clinking  of  coins,  a  word  or 
two  of  solemn  advice  from  the  cure,  and  a  man's  painful 
sobbing  ;  then  the  King  touched  my  arm,  and  we  crept 
down  the  stairs.  I  was  for  stopping  on  the  landing 
where  we  had  hidden  ourselves  before  ;  but  Henry  drew 
me  on  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs  and  into  the  street. 

He  turned  towards  home,  and  for  some  time  did  not 
speak.     At  length  he  asked  me  what  I  thought  of  it. 

"In  what  way,  sire  ?  " 


!8o      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"Do  you  not  think,"  he  said  in  a  voice  of  much 
emotion,  "  that  if  we  could  do  what  he  does,  and  save  a 
man  instead  of  hanging  him,  it  would  be  better  ? " 

"For  the  man,  sire,  doubtless,"  I  answered  drily; 
"  but  for  the  State  it  might  not  be  so  well.  If  mercy 
became  the  rule  and  justice  the  exception  —  there  would 
be  fewer  bodies  at  Montfaucon  and  more  in  the  streets 
at  daylight.  I  feel  much  greater  doubt  on  another 
point." 

Shaking  off  the  moodiness  that  had  for  a  moment 
overcome  him,  Henry  asked  with  vivacity  what  that 
was. 

"Who  he  is,  and  what  is  his  motive  ?" 

"  Why  ?  "  the  King  replied  in  some  surprise  —  he  was 
ever  of  so  kind  a  nature  that  an  appeal  to  his  feelings 
displaced  his  judgment.  "What  should  he  be  but 
what  he  seems?" 

"  Benevolence  itself  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"Well,  sire,  I  grant  that  he  may  be  M.  de  Joyeuse, 
who  has  spent  his  life  in  passing  in  and  out  of  monas- 
teries, and  has  performed  so  many  tricks  of  the  kind 
that  I  could  believe  anything  of  him.  But  if  it  be  not 
he " 

"  It  was  not  his  voice,"  Henry  said,  positively. 

"Then  there  is  something  here,"  I  answered,  "still 
unexplained.  Consider  the  oddity  of  the  conception, 
sire,  the  secrecy  of  the  performance,  the  hour,  the  mode, 
all  the  surrounding  circumstances  !  I  can  imagine  a 
man  currying  favour  with  the  basest  and  most  danger- 


THE  OPEN-  SHUTTER.  1 8  i 

cms  class  by  such  means.  I  can  imagine  a  conspiracy 
recruited  by  such  means.  I  can  imagine  this  shibboleth 
of  the  shutter  grown  to  a  watchword  as  deadly  as  the 
lTuez!'  of  '72.  lean  imagine  all  that,  but  I  cannot 
imagine  a  man  acting  thus  out  of  pure  benevolence." 

"No?"  Henry  said  thoughtfully.  "Well,  I  think 
that  I  agree  with  you."  And  far  from  being  displeased 
with  my  warmth  (as  is  the  manner  of  some  sovereigns 
when  their  best  friends  differ  from  them),  he  came  over 
to  my  opinion  so  completely  as  to  halt  and  express  his 
intention  of  returning  and  probing  the  matter  to  the 
bottom.  Midnight  had  gone,  however;  it  would  take 
some  little  time  to  retrace  our  steps  ;  and  with  some 
difficulty  I  succeeded  in  dissuading  him,  promising  in- 
stead to  make  inquiries  on  the  morrow,  and  having 
learned  who  lived  in  the  house,  to  turn  the  whole  affair 
into  a  report,  which  should  be  submitted  to  him. 

This  amused  and  satisfied  him,  and,  expressing  him- 
self well  content  with  the  evening's  diversion  —  though 
we  had  done  nothing  unworthy  either  of  a  King  or  a 
Minister  —  he  parted  from  me  at  the  Arsenal,  and  went 
home  with  his  suite. 

It  did  not  occur  to  me  at  the  time  that  I  had 
promised  to  do  anything  difficult ;  but  the  news  which 
my  agents  brought  me  next  day  —  that  the  uppermost 
floor  of  the  house  in  the  Rue  Pourpointerie  was  empty 
—  put  another  face  upon  the  matter.  The  landlord 
declared  that  he  knew  nothing  of  the  tenant,  who  had 
rented  the  rooms,  ready  furnished,  by  the  week  ;  and  as 
I  had  not  seen  the  man's  face,  there  remained  only  two 


1 82       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

sources  whence  I  could  get  the  information  I  needed 
—  the  child,  and  the  cure  of  St.  Marceau. 

I  did  not  know  where  to  look  for  the  former,  how- 
ever;  and  I  had  to  depend  on  the  cure.  But  here  I 
came  to  an  obstacle  I  might  easily  have  foreseen.  I 
found  him,  though  an  honest  man,  obdurate  in  uphold- 
ing his  priest's  privileges  ;  to  all  my  inquires  he  replied 
that  the  matter  touched  the  confessional,  and  was  within 
his  vows;  and  that  he  neither  could,  nor  dared  — to 
please  any  one,  or  for  any  cause,  however  plausible  — 
divulge  the  slightest  detail  of  the  affair.  I  had  him 
summoned  to  the  Arsenal,  and  questioned  him  myself, 
and  closely  ;  but  of  all  armour  that  of  the  Roman  priest- 
hood is  the  most  difficult  to  penetrate,  and  I  quickly 
gave  up  the  attempt. 

Baffled  in  the  only  direction  in  which  I  could  hope 
for  success,  I  had  to  confess  my  defeat  to  the  King, 
whose  curiosity  was  only  piqued  the  more  by  the  rebuff. 
He  adjured  me  not  to  let  the  matter  drop,  and,  suggest- 
ing a  number  of  persons  among  whom  I  might  possibly 
find  the  unknown,  proposed  also  some  theories.  Of 
these,  one  that  the  benevolent  was  a  disguised  lady,  who 
contrived  in  this  way  to  give  the  rein  at  once  to  gal- 
lantry and  charity,  pleased  him  most ;  while  I  favoured 
that  which  had  first  occurred  to  me  on  the  night  of  our 
sally,  and  held  the  unknown  to  be  a  clever  rascal,  who, 
to  serve  his  ends,  political  or  criminal,  was  corrupting 
the  commonalty,  and  drawing  people  into  his  power. 

Things  remained  in  this  state  some  weeks,  and,  grow- 
ing no  wiser,  I  was  beginning  to  think  less  of  the  affair 


THE   OPEN-  SHUTTER. 


83 


—  which,  of  itself,  and  apart  from  a  whimsical  interest 
which  the  King  took  in  it,  was  unimportant  —  when  one 
day,  stopping  in  the  Ouartier  du  Marais  to  view  the 
works  at  the  new  Place  Royale,  I  saw  the  boy.  He  was 
in  charge  of  a  decent-looking  servant,  whose  hand  he 
was  holding,  and  the  two  were  gazing  at  a  horse  that, 
alarmed  by  the  heaps  of  stone  and  mortar,  was  rearing 
and  trying  to  unseat  its  rider.  The  child  did  not  see 
me,  and  I  bade  Maignan  follow  him  home,  and  learn 
where  he  lived  and  who  he  was. 

In  an  hour  my  equerry  returned  with  the  information 
I  desired.  The  child  was  the  only  son  of  Fauchet,  one 
of  the  Receivers-General  of  the  Revenue ;  a  man  who 
kept  great  state  in  the  largest  of  the  old-fashioned 
houses  in  the  Rue  de  Bethisy,  where  he  had  lately 
entertained  the  King.  I  could  not  imagine  any  one  less 
likely  to  be  concerned  in  treasonable  practices  ;  and,  cer- 
tain that  I  had  made  no  mistake  in  the  boy,  I  was 
driven  for  a  while  to  believe  that  some  servant  had  per- 
verted the  child  to  this  use.  Presently,  however,  sec- 
ond thoughts,  and  the  position  of  the  father,  taken, 
perhaps,  with  suspicions  that  I  had  for  a  long  time 
entertained  of  Fauchet  —  in  common  with  most  of  his 
kind  —  suggested  an  explanation,  hitherto  unconsidered. 
It  was  not  an  explanation  very  probable  at  first  sight, 
nor  one  that  would  have  commended  itself  to  those 
who  divide  all  men  by  hard  and  fast  rules  and  assort 
them  like  sheep.  But  I  had  seen  too  much  of  the  world 
to  fall  into  this  mistake,  and  it  satisfied  me.  I  began 
by  weighing   it    carefully  ;  I  procured  evidence,  I  had 


!84      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

Fauchet  watched  ;  and,  at  length,  one  evening  in  Au- 
gust, I  went  to  the  Louvre. 

The  King  was  dicing  with  Fernandez,  the  Portuguese 
banker  ;  but  I  ventured  to  interrupt  the  game  and  draw 
him  aside.  He  might  not  have  taken  this  well,  but  that 
my  first  word  caught  his  attention. 

"  Sire,"  I  said,  "the  shutter  is  open." 

He  understood  in  a  moment.  "  St.  Gris  ! "  he  exclaimed 
with  animation.     "  Where  ?     At  the  same  house  ?  " 

"No,  sire ;  in  the  Rue  Cloitre  Notre  Dame." 

"  You  have  got  him,  then  ? " 

"  I  know  who  he  is,  and  why  he  is  doing  this." 

"  Why  ?  "  the  King  cried  eagerly. 

"  Well,  I  was  going  to  ask  for  your  Majesty's  com- 
pany to  the  place,"  I  answered  smiling.  "  I  will  under- 
take that  you  shall  be  amused  at  least  as  well  as  here, 
and  at  a  cheaper  rate." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  That  may  very  well 
be,"  he  said  with  a  grimace.  "  That  rogue  Pimentel  has 
stripped  me  of  two  thousand  crowns  since  supper.  He 
is  plucking  Bassompierre  now." 

Remembering  that  only  that  morning  I  had  had  to 
stop  some  necessary  works  through  lack  of  means,  I 
could  scarcely  restrain  my  indignation.  But  it  was  not 
the  time  to  speak,  and  I  contented  myself  with  repeat- 
ing my  request.  Ashamed  of  himself,  he  consented 
with  a  good  grace,  and  bidding  me  go  to  his  closet, 
followed  a  few  minutes  later.  He  found  me  cloaked  to 
the  eyes,  and  with  a  soutane  and  priest's  hat  on  my 
arm.     "  Are  those  for  me  ?  "  he  said. 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER.  1 85 

"Yes,  sire." 

"Whom  am  I,  then?" 

"The  cure  of  St.  Germain." 

He  made  a  wry  face.  "  Come,  Grand  Master,"  he 
said;  "he  died  yesterday.     Is  not  the  jest  rather  grim  ?  " 

"  In  a  good  cause,"  I  said  equably. 

He  flashed  a  roguish  look  at  me.  "  Ah  !  "  he  said,  "  I 
thought  that  that  was  a  wicked  rule  which  only  we 
Romanists  avowed.  But,  there  ;  don't  be  angry.  I  am 
ready." 

Coquet,  the  Master  of  the  Household,  let  us  out  by 
one  of  the  river  gates,  and  we  went  by  the  new  bridge 
and  the  Pont  St.  Michel.  By  the  way  I  taught  the 
King  the  role  I  wished  him  to  play,  but  without  explain- 
ing the  mystery ;  the  opportune  appearance  of  one  of 
my  agents  who  was  watching  the  end  of  the  street 
bringing  Henry's  remonstrances  to  a  close. 

"  It  is  still  open  ?  "  I  said. 

"Yes,  your  excellency." 

"  Then  come,  sire,"  I  said.  "  I  see  the  boy  yonder. 
Let  us  ascend,  and  I  will  undertake  that  before  you 
reach  the  street  again  you  shall  be  not  only  a  wiser  but 
a  richer  sovereign." 

"St.  Gris !  "  he  answered  with  alacrity.  "Why  did 
you  not  say  that  before,  and  I  should  have  asked  no 
questions.  On,  on,  in  God's  name,  and  the  devil  take 
Pimentel ! " 

I  restrained  the  caustic  jest  that  rose  to  my  lips,  and 
we  proceeded  in  silence  down  the  street.  The  boy, 
whom  I  had  espied  loitering  in  a  doorway  a  little  way 


1 86      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

ahead,  as  if  the  great  bell  above  us  which  had  just  tolled 
eleven  had  drawn  him  out,  peered  at  us  a  moment 
askance ;  and  then,  coming  forward,  accosted  us.  But 
I  need  not  detail  the  particulars  of  a  conversation  which 
was  almost  word  for  word  the  same  as  that  which  had 
passed  in  the  Rue  de  la  Pourpointerie ;  suffice  it  that 
he  made  the  same  request  with  the  same  frank  audacity, 
and  that,  granting  it,  we  were  in  a  moment  following 
him  up  a  similar  staircase. 

"  This  way,  messieurs,  this  way  !  "  he  said ;  as  he 
had  on  that  other  night,  while  we  groped  our  way  up- 
wards in  the  dark.  He  opened  a  door,  and  a  light 
shone  out ;  and  we  entered  a  room  that  seemed,  with 
its  bare  walls  and  rafters,  its  scanty  stool  and  table  and 
lamp,  the  very  counterpart  of  that  other  room.  In  one 
wall  appeared  the  dingy  curtains  of  an  alcove,  closely 
drawn  ;  and  the  shutter  stood  open,  until,  at  the  child's 
request,  expressed  in  the  same  words,  I  went  to  it  and 
closed  it. 

We  were  both  so  well  muffled  up  and  disguised,  and 
the  light  of  the  lamp  shining  upwards  so  completely 
distorted  the  features,  that  I  had  no  fear  of  recognition, 
unless  the  King's  voice  betrayed  him.  But  when  he 
spoke,  breaking  the  oppressive  silence  of  the  room, 
his  tone  was  as  strange  and  hollow  as  I  could  wish. 

"The  shutter  is  closed,"  he  said;  "but  the  shutter 
of  God's  mercy  is  never  closed  !  " 

Still,  knowing  that  this  was  the  crucial  moment,  and 
that  we  should  be  detected  now  if  at  all,  I  found  it  an 
age   before   the   voice   behind    the    curtains    answered 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER.  1 87 

"Amen!"     And   yet  another  age    before   the   hidden 
speaker  continued  "  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"The  cure  of  St.  Germain,"  Henry  responded. 

The  man  behind  the  curtains  gasped,  and  they  were 
for  a  moment  violently  agitated,  as  if  a  hand  seized  them 
and  let  them  go  again.  But  I  had  reckoned  that  the 
unknown,  after  a  pause  of  horror,  would  suppose  that 
he  had  heard  amiss  and  continue  his  usual  catechism. 
And  so  it  proved.  In  a  voice  that  shook  a  little,  he 
asked,  "  Whom  do  you  bring  to  me  ?  " 

"  A  sinner,"  the  King  answered. 

"  What  has  he  done  ?  " 

"He  will  tell  you." 

"  I  am  listening,"  the  unknown  said. 

The  light  in  the  basin  flared  up  a  little,  casting  dark 
shadows  on  the  ceiling,  and  at  the  same  moment  the 
shutter,  which  I  had  failed  to  fasten  securely,  fell  open 
with  a  grinding  sound.  One  of  the  curtains  swayed 
a  little  in  the  breeze.  "  I  have  robbed  my  master,"  I 
said  slowly. 

"  Of  how  much  ?  " 

"A  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  crowns." 

The  bed  shook  until  the  boards  creaked  under  it  ; 
but  this  time  no  hand  grasped  the  curtains.  Instead, 
a  strained  voice — thick  and  coarse,  yet  differing  from 
that  muffled  tone  which  we  had  heard  before  —  asked, 
"  Who  are  you  ?  " 
"Jules  Fauchet." 

I  waited.  The  King,  who  understood  nothing  but 
had  listened  to  my  answers  with  eager  attention,  and 


1 88       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

marked  no  less  closely  the  agitation  which  they  caused 
in  the  unknown,  leant  forward  to  listen.  But  the  bed 
creaked  no  more ;  the  curtain  hung  still ;  even  the 
voice,  which  at  last  issued  from  the  curtains,  was  no 
more  like  the  ordinary  accents  of  a  man  than  are  those 
which  he  utters  in  the  paroxysms  of  epilepsy.  "Are 
you  —  sorry  ?  "  the  unknown  muttered  —  involuntarily, 
I  think ;  hoping  against  hope ;  not  daring  to  depart 
from  a  formula  which  had  become  second  nature.  But 
I  could  fancy  him  clawing,  as  he  spoke,  at  his  choking 
throat. 

France,  however,  had  suffered  too  long  at  the  hands 
of  that  race  of  men,  and  I  had  been  too  lately  vilified 
by  them  to  feel  much  pity ;  and  for  answer  I  lifted  a 
voice  that  to  the  quailing  wretch  must  have  been  the 
voice  of  doom.  "Sorry?"  I  said  grimly.  "I  must  be  — 
or  hang  !  For  to-morrow  the  King  examines  his  books, 
and  the  next  day  I — hang!" 

The  King's  hand  was  on  mine,  to  stop  me  before  the 
last  word  was  out ;  but  his  touch  came  too  late.  As  it 
rang  through  the  room  one  of  the  curtains  before  us 
was  twitched  aside,  and  a  face  glared  out,  so  ghastly 
and  drawn  and  horror-stricken,  that  few  would  have 
known  it  for  that  of  the  wealthy  fcrmicr,  who  had  grown 
sleek  and  fat  on  the  King's  revenues.  I  do  not  know 
whether  he  knew  us,  or  whether,  on  the  contrary,  he 
found  this  accusation,  so  precise,  so  accurate,  coming 
from  an  unknown  source,  still  more  terrible  than  if  he 
had  known  us  ;  but  on  the  instant  he  fell  forward  in  a 
swoon. 


One  of  the  curtains  was  twitched  aside. 


THE  OPEN  SHUTTER. 


189 


"  St.  Gris  !  "  Henry  cried,  looking  on  the  body  with  a 
shudder,  "you  have  killed  him,  Grand  Master!     It  was 

true,  was  it  ?  " 

"Yes,  sire,"  I  an- 
swered. "  But  he  is 
not  dead,  I  think." 
And  going  to  the 
window  I  whistled 
for  Maignan,  who  in 
a  minute  came  to  us. 
He  was  not  very  will- 
ing to  touch  the  man, 
but  I  bade  him  lay 
him  on  the  bed  and 
loosen  his  clothes  and 
throw  water  on  his 
face ;  and  presently 
M.  Fauchet  began  to 
recover. 

I  stepped  a  little 
aside  that  he  might 
not  see  me,  and  ac- 
cordingly the  first  per- 
son on  whom  his  eyes 
lighted  was  the  King, 
who  had  laid  aside  his 
hat    and    cloak,    and 

AT  THE  DOOR  A  THOUGHT  take11  tlie  telTified  a"d 

weeping  child  on  his 
lap      M.  Fauchet  stared  at  him  awhile  before  he  recog- 


I  qo      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

nised  him ;  but  at  last  the  trembling  man  knew  him, 
and  tottering  to  his  feet,  threw  himself  on  his  knees, 
looking  years  older  than  when  I  had  last  seen  him  in 
the  street. 

"  Sire,"  he  said  faintly,  "  I  will  make  restitution." 

Henry  looked  at  him  gravely,  and  nodded.  "  It  is 
well,"  he  said.  "  You  are  fortunate,  M.  Fauchet ;  for  had 
this  come  to  my  ears  in  any  other  way  I  could  not  have 
spared  you.  You  will  render  your  accounts  and  papers 
to  M.  de  Sully  to-morrow,  and  according  as  you  are 
frank  with  him  you  will  be  treated." 

Fauchet  thanked  him  with  abject  tears,  and  the  King 
rose  and  prepared  to  leave.  But  at  the  door  a  thought 
struck  him,  and  he  turned.  "  How  long  have  you  done 
this?"  he  said,  indicating  the  room  by  a  gesture,  and 
speaking  in  a  gentler  tone. 

"  Three  years,  sire,"  the  wretched  man  answered. 

"  And  how  much  have  you  distributed  ? " 

"  Fifteen  hundred  crowns,  sire." 

The  King  cast  an  indescribable  look  at  me,  wherein 
amusement,  scorn,  and  astonishment  were  all  blended. 
"  St.  Gris  !  man !  "  he  said,  shrugging  his  shoulders  and 
drawing  in  his  breath  sharply,  "you  think  God  is 
as  easily  duped  as  the  King  !  I  wish  I  could  think 
so." 

He  did  not  speak  again  until  we  were  half-way  back 
to  the  Louvre ;  when  he  opened  his  mouth  to  announce 
his  intention  of  rewarding  me  with  a  tithe  of  the  money 
recovered.  It  was  duly  paid  to  me,  and  I  bought  with 
it   part    of   the    outlying   lands  of   Villebon  —  those,   I 


THE   OPEN  SHUTTER.  ICjI 

mean,  which  extend  towards  Chartres.  The  rest  of  the 
money,  notwithstanding  all  my  efforts,  was  wasted  here 
and  there,  Pimentel  winning  thirty  thousand  crowns  of 
the  King  that  year.  But  the  discovery  led  to  others  of 
a  similar  character,  and  eventually  set  me  on  the  track 
of  a  greater  offender,  M.  l'Argentier,  whom  I  brought 
to  justice  a  few  months  later. 


THE  MAID  OF  HONOUR. 


VIII. 

THE  MAID  OF  HONOUR. 

In  accordance  with  my  custom  I  gave  an  entertain- 
ment on  the  last  day  of  this  year  to  the  King  and 
Queen ;  who  came  to  the  Arsenal  with  a  numerous 
train,  and  found  the  diversions  I  had  provided  so  much 
to  their  taste  that  they  did  not  leave  until  I  was  half 
dead  with  fatigue,  and  like  to  be  killed  with  complai- 
sance. Though  this  was  not  the  most  splendid  enter- 
tainment I  gave  that  year,  it  had  the  good  fortune  to 
please  ;  and  in  a  different  and  less  agreeable  fashion  is 
recalled  to  my  memory  by  a  peculiar  chain  of  events, 
whereof  the  first  link  came  under  my  eyes  during  its 
progress. 

I  have  mentioned  in  an  earlier  part  of  these  memoirs, 
a  Portuguese  adventurer,  who,  about  this  time,  gained 
large  sums  from  the  Court  at  play,  and  more  than  once 
compelled  the  King  to  have  recourse  to  me.  I  had  the 
worst  opinion  of  this  man,  and  did  not  scruple  to 
express  it  on  several  occasions  ;  and  this  the  more,  as 
his  presumption  fell  little  short  of  his  knavery,  while  he 
treated  those  whom  he  robbed  with  as  much  arrogance 
as  if  to  play  with  him  were  an  honour.  Holding  this 
view  of  him,  I  was  far  from  pleased  when  I  discovered 

i95 


ig6      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

that  the  King  had  brought  him  to  my  house ;  but  the 
feeling,  though  sufficiently  strong,  sank  to  nothing  be- 
side the  indignation  and  disgust  which  I  experienced 
when,  the  company  having  fallen  to  cards  after  supper, 
I  found  that  the  Queen  had  sat  down  with  him  to 
primero. 

It  did  not  lessen  my  annoyance,  that  I  had,  after  my 
usual  fashion,  furnished  the  Queen  with  a  purse  for  her 
sport ;  and  in  this  way  found  myself  reduced  to  stand 
by  and  see  my  good  money  pass  into  the  clutches  of 
this  knave.  Under  the  circumstances,  and  in  my  own 
house,  I  could  do  nothing  ;  nevertheless,  the  table  at 
which  they  sat  possessed  so  strong  a  fascination  for  me 
that  I  several  times  caught  myself  staring  at  it  more 
closely  than  was  polite ;  and  as  to  disgust  at  the  un- 
seemliness of  such  companionship  was  added  vexation 
at  my  own  loss,  I  might  have  gone  farther  towards 
betraying  my  feelings  if  a  casual  glance  aside  had  not 
disclosed  to  me  the  fact  that  I  did  not  stand  alone  in 
my  dissatisfaction  ;  but  that,  frivolous  as  the  majority  of 
the  courtiers  were,  there  was  one  at  least  among  those 
present  who  viewed  this  particular  game  with  distaste. 

This  person  stood  near  the  door,  and  fancying  himself 
secured  from  observation,  either  by  his  position  or  his 
insignificance,  was  glowering  on  the  pair  in  a  manner 
that  at  another  time  must  have  cost  him  a  rebuke.  As 
it  was,  I  found  something  friendly,  as  well  as  curious,  in 
his  fixed  frown  ;  and  ignorant  of  his  name,  though  I 
knew  him  by  sight,  wondered  both  who  he  was  and 
what  was  the  cause  of  his  preoccupation. 


THE  MAID   OF  HONOUR. 


197 


On  the  one  point  I  had  no  difficulty  in  satisfying  my- 
self. Boisrueil,  who  presently  passed,  told  me  that  his 
name  was  Vallon ;  that  he  belonged  to  a  poor  but 
old  family  in  the  Cotentin,  and  that  he  had  been  only 
three  months  at  court. 


THE  PERSON  STOOD   NEAR  THE  DOOR 


"  Making  his   fortune,    I    suppose  ? "    I    said   grimly 
He  gains  ?  " 
"  No,  your  excellency." 
"Is  in  debt?" 
"  Not  to  my  knowledge." 
"To  whom  does  he  pay  his  court,  then  ?" 


I93      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  To  the  King." 

"And  the  Queen?" 

"Not  particularly  —  as  far  as  I  know,  at  least.  But 
if  you  wish  to  know  more,  M.  le  Due,"  Boisrueil  con- 
tinued, "I  will " 

"  No,  no,"  I  said  peevishly.  The  Queen  had  just 
handed  her  last  rouleau  across  the  table,  and  was  still 
playing.  "  Go,  man,  about  your  business  ;  I  don't  want 
to  spend  the  evening  gossiping  with  you." 

He  went,  and  I  dismissed  the  young  fellow  from  my 
mind ;  only  to  find  him  five  minutes  later  at  my  elbow. 
To  youth  and  good  looks  he  added  a  modest  bearing 
that  did  not  fail  to  enhance  them  and  commend  him  to 
me ;  the  majority  of  the  young  sparks  of  the  day  being 
wiser  than  their  fathers.  But  I  confess  that  I  was  not 
prepared  for  the  stammering  embarrassment  with  which 
he  addressed  me  —  nor,  indeed,  to  be  addressed  by  him 
at  all. 

"  M.  de  Sully,"  he  said,  in  a  tone  of  emotion,  "  I  beg 
you  to  pardon  me.  I  am  in  great  trouble,  and  I  think 
that  perhaps,  stranger  as  I  am,  you  may  condescend  to 
do  me  a  service." 

So  many  men  appeal  to  a  minister  with  some  such 
formula  on  their  lips,  and  at  times  with  a  calculated 
timidity,  that  at  the  first  blush  of  his  request  I  was  in- 
clined to  bid  him  come  to  me  at  the  proper  time ;  and 
to  remove  to  another  part  of  the  room.  But  curiosity, 
playing  the  part  of  his  advocate,  found  so  much  that  was 
candid  in  his  manner  that  I  hesitated.  "What  is  it  ?  " 
I  said  stiffly. 


THE  MAID  OF  HONOUR.  199 

"  A  very  slight,  if  a  very  unusual,  one,"  he  muttered. 
"  M.  le  Due,  I  only  want  you  to " 

"  To  ?  "  for  he  stopped  and  seemed  unable  to  go  on. 

"To  supplement  the  present  you  have  given  to  the 
Queen  with  this,"  he  blurted  out,  his  face  pale  with 
emotion  ;  and  he  stealthily  held  out  to  me  a  green  silk 
purse,  through  the  meshes  of  which  I  saw  the  glint  of 
gold.  "M.  de  Sully,"  he  continued,  observing  my  hasty 
movement,  "  do  not  be  offended  !  I  know  that  you  have 
done  all  that  hospitality  required.  But  I  see  that  the 
Queen  has  already  lost  your  gift,  and  that " 

"  She  is  playing  on  credit  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur." 

He  said  it  simply,  and  as  he  spoke,  he  again  pressed 
on  me  the  purse.  I  took  and  weighed  it,  and  calcu- 
lated at  a  guess  that  it  held  fifty  crowns.  The  sum 
astonished  me.  "  Why,  man,"  I  said,  "you  are  not 
mad  enough  to  be  in  love  with  her  Majesty  ? " 

"  No ! "  he  cried  vehemently,  yet  with  a  gleam  of 
humour  in  his  eye.  "  I  swear  that  it  is  not  so.  If  you 
will  do  me  this  favour " 

It  was  a  mad  impulse  that  took  me,  but  I  nodded, 
and  resolving  to  make  good  the  money  out  of  my  own 
pocket  should  the  case,  when  all  was  clear,  seem  to 
demand  it,  I  went  straight  from  him,  and,  crossing  the 
floor,  laid  the  purse  near  her  Majesty's  hand,  with  a 
polite  word  of  regret  that  fortune  had  used  her  so  ill, 
and  a  hope  that  this  might  be  the  means  of  recruiting 
her  forces. 

It  would  not  have  surprised  me  had  she  shown  some 


200       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

signs  of  consciousness,  and  perhaps  betrayed  that  she 
recognized  the  purse.  But  she  contented  herself  with 
thanking  me  prettily,  and  almost  before  I  had  done 
speaking  had  her  slender  fingers  among  the  coins. 
Turning,  I  found  that  Vallon  had  disappeared  ;  so  that 
all  came  to  a  sudden  stop  ;  and  with  the  one  and  the 
other,  I  retired  completely  puzzled,  and  less  able  than 
before  to  make  even  a  guess  at  the  secret  of  the  young 
man's  generosity. 

However,  the  King  summoning  me  to  him,  there,  for 
the  time,  was  an  end  of  the  matter  :  and  between  fa- 
tigue and  the  duties  of  my  position,  I  did  not  give  a 
second  thought  to  it  that  evening.  Next  morning,  too, 
I  was  taken  up  with  the  gifts  which  it  was  my  privilege 
as  Master  of  the  Mint  to  present  to  the  King  on  New 
Year's  Day,  and  which  consisted  this  year  of  medals 
of  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  bearing  inscriptions  of  my 
own  composition,  together  with  small  bags  of  new  coins 
for  the  King,  the  Queen,  and  their  attendants. 

These  I  always  made  it  a  point  to  offer  before  the 
King  rose  ;  nor  was  this  year  an  exception,  for  I  found 
his  Majesty  still  in  bed,  the  Queen  occupying  a  couch 
in  the  same  chamber.  But  whereas  it  generally  fell  to 
me  to  arouse  them  from  sleep,  and  be  the  first  to  offer 
those  compliments  which  befitted  the  day,  I  found  them 
on  this  occasion  fully  roused,  the  King  lazily  toying 
with  his  watch,  the  Queen  talking  fast  and  angrily,  and 
at  the  edge  of  the  carpet  beside  her  bed  Mademoiselle 
D'Oyley  in  deep  disgrace.  The  Queen,  indeed,  was  so 
taken  up  with  scolding  her  that  she  had  forgotten  what 


The  Queen  talking-  fast  and  angrily. 


THE  MAID    OF  HONOUR.  201 

day  it  was  ;  and  even  after  my  entrance,  continued  to 
rate  the  poor  girl  so  fiercely  that  I  thought  her  present 
violence  little  less  unseemly  than  her  condescension  of 
the  night  before. 

Perhaps  some  trace  of  this  feeling  appeared  in  my 
countenance ;  for,  presently,  the  King,  who  seldom 
failed  to  read  my  thoughts,  tried  to  check  her  in  a 
good-natured  fashion.  "  Come,  my  dear,"  he  said ; 
"let  that  trembling  mouse  go.  And  do  you  hear 
what  our  good  friend  Sully  has  brought  you  ?  I'll  be 
bound " 

"How  your  Majesty  talks!"  the  Queen  answered 
pettishly.  "  As  if  a  few  paltry  coins  could  make  up 
for  my  jar  !  I'll  be  bound,  for  my  part,  that  this  idle 
wench  was  romping  and  playing  with " 

"  Come,  come ;  you  have  made  her  cry  enough  !  "  the 
King  interrupted  —  and,  indeed,  the  girl  was  sobbing 
so  passionately  that  a  man  could  not  listen  without  pain. 
"  Let  her  go,  I  say,  and  do  you  attend  to  Sully.  You 
have  forgotten  that  it  is  New  Year's  Day " 

"A  jar  of  majolica,"  the  Queen  cried,  utterly  disre- 
garding him,  "worth  your  body  and  soul,  you  little 
slut  ! " 

"  Pooh  !  pooh  !  "  the  King  said. 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  brought  it  from  Florence,  all 
the  way  in  my  own " 

"Nightcap,"  the  King  muttered.  "There,  there, 
sweetheart,"  he  continued  aloud,  "let  the  girl  go  !  " 

"  Of  course  !  She  is  a  girl,"  the  Queen  cried,  with  a 
sneer.     "That  is  enough  for  you  !  " 


202      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"  Well,  madam,  she  is  not  the  only  one  in  the  room," 
I  ventured. 

"  Oh,  of  course,  you  are  the  King's  echo  !  " 

"  Runaway,  little  one,"  Henry  said,  winking  to  me  to 
be  silent. 

"And  consider  yourself  lucky,"  the  Queen  cried 
venomously.  "  You  ought  to  be  whipped  ;  and  if  I  had 
you  in  my  country,  I  would  have  you  whipped  for  all  your 
airs  !  San  Giacomo,  if  you  cross  me,  I  will  see  to  it !  " 

This  was  a  parting  thrust  ;  for  the  girl,  catching  at 
the  King's  permission,  had  turned  and  was  hurrying  in  a 
passion  of  tears  to  the  door.  Still,  the  Queen  had  not 
done.  Mademoiselle  had  broken  a  jar;  and  there  were 
other  misdemeanours  which  her  Majesty  continued  to 
expound.  But  in  the  end  I  had  my  say,  and  presented 
the  medals,  which  were  accepted  by  the  King  with  his 
usual  kindness,  and  by  the  Queen,  when  her  feelings  had 
found  expression,  with  sufficient  complaisance.  Both 
were  good  enough  to  compliment  me  on  my  entertain- 
ment ;  but  observing  that  the  Queen  quickly  buried 
herself  again  in  her  pillows  and  was  inclined  to  be 
peevish,  I  cut  short  my  attendance  on  the  plea  of 
fatigue,  and  left  them  at  liberty  to  receive  the  very 
numerous  company  who  on  this  day  pay  their  court. 

Of  these,  the  greater  number  came  on  afterwards,  to 
wait  on  me  ;  so  that  for  some  hours  the  large  hall  at  the 
Arsenal  was  thronged  with  my  friends,  or  those  who 
called  themselves  by  that  name.  But  towards  noon  the 
stream  began  to  fail ;  and  when  I  sat  down  to  dinner  at 
that  hour,  I  had  reason  to  suppose  that  I  should  be  left 


THE  MAID   OF  HONOUR.  203 

at  peace.  I  had  not  more  than  begun  my  meal,  however, 
when  I  was  called  from  table  by  a  messenger  from  the 
Queen. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  said,  when  I  had  gone  to  him.  Had 
he  come  from  the  King,  I  could  have  understood  it  more 
easily. 

"  Her  Majesty  desires  to  know,  your  excellency, 
whether  you  have  seen  anything  of  Mademoiselle 
D'Oyley." 

"  I  ?  " 

"Yes,  M.  leDuc." 

"  No,  certainly  not.     How  should  I  ?  "     I  replied. 

"  And  she  is  not  here  ?  "  the  man  persisted. 

"  No  !  "  I  answered  angrily.  "  God  bless  the  Queen, 
I  know  nothing  of  her.     I  am  sitting  at  meat,  and  —  " 

The  man  interrupted  me  with  protestations  of  regret, 
and,  hastening  to  express  himself  thoroughly  satisfied, 
retired  with  a  crestfallen  air.  I  wondered  what  the 
message  meant,  and  what  had  come  over  the  Queen,  and 
whither  the  girl  had  gone.  But  as  I  made  it  a  rule 
throughout  my  term  of  office  to  avoid,  as  far  as  possible, 
all  participation  in  bed-chamber  intrigues,  I  wasted  little 
time  on  the  matter,  but  returning  to  my  dinner,  took  up 
the  conversation  where  I  had  left  it.  Before  I  rose, 
however,  La  Trape  came  to  me  and  again  interrupted 
me.  He  announced  that  a  messenger  from  his  Majesty 
was  waiting  in  the  hall. 

I  went  out,  thinking  it  very  probable  that  Henry  had 
sent  me  a  present  ;  though  it  was  his  more  usual  custom 
on  this  day  to  honour  me  with  a  visit,  and  declare  his 


204 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


generous  intentions  by  word  of  mouth,  when  we  had  both 
retired  to  my  library  and  the  door  was  closed.  Still,  on 
one  or  two  occasions  he  had  sent  me  a  horse  from  his 
stables,  a  brace  of  Indian  fowl,  a  melon  or  the  like,  as  a 
foretaste  ;  and  this  I  supposed  to  be  the  errand  on  which 
the  man  had  come. 

His  first  words  disabused  me.  "May  it  please  your 
excellency,"  he  said,  very  civilly,  "the  King  desires  to 
be  remembered  to  you  as  usual,  and  would  learn  whether 
you  know  anything  of  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley." 

"  Of  whom?"   I  cried,  astonished. 

"  Of  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley,  her  Majesty's  maid  of 
honour." 

"  Not  I,  i'  faith  !  "  I  said  drily.  "  I  am  no  squire  of 
dames,  to  say  nothing  of  maids  !  " 

"But  his  Majesty " 

"  If  he  has  sent  that  message,"  I  replied,  "  has  yet 
something  to  learn  —  that  I  do  not  interest  myself  in 
maids  of  honour  or  such  frailties." 

The  man  smiled.  "I  do  not  think,"  he  began,  "that 
it  was  his  Majesty " 

"Sent  the  message?"  I  said.  "No,  but  the  Queen, 
I  suppose." 

On  this  he  gave  me  to  understand,  in  the  sly,  secre- 
tive manner  such  men  affect,  that  it  was  so.  I  asked 
him  then  what  all  this  ferment  was  about.  "  Has 
Mademoiselle  D'Oyley  disappeared  ?  "  I  said  peevishly. 

"  Yes,  your  excellency.  She  was  with  the  Queen  at 
eight  o'clock.  At  noon  her  Majesty  desired  her  ser- 
vices, and  she  was  not  to  be  found." 


THE  MAID    OF  HONOUR.  205 

"  What  ?  "  I  exclaimed.  "  A  maid  of  honour  is  miss- 
ing for  three  hours  in  the  morning,  and  there  is  all  this 
traveling !  Why,  in  my  young  days,  three  nights 
might  have " 

But  discerning  that  he  was  little  more  than  a  youth, 
and  could  not  restrain  a  smile,  I  broke  off  discreetly,  and 
contented  myself  with  asking  if  there  was  reason  to 
suppose  that  there  was  more  than  appeared  in  the  girl's 
absence. 

"Her  Majesty  thinks  so,"  he  answered. 

"  Well,  in  any  case,  I  know  nothing  about  it,"  I  re- 
plied. "  I  am  not  hiding  her.  You  may  tell  his 
Majesty  that,  with  my  service.     Or  I  will  write  it." 

He  answered  me,  eagerly,  that  that  was  not  necessary, 
and  that  the  King  had  desired  merely  a  word  from  me  ; 
and  with  that  and  many  other  expressions  of  regret,  he 
went  away  and  left  me  at  leisure  to  go  to  the  riding- 
school,  where  at  this  time  of  the  year  it  was  my  wont  to 
see  the  young  men  practise  those  manly  arts,  which,  so 
far  as  I  can  judge,  are  at  a  lower  ebb  in  these  modern 
days  of  quips  and  quodlibets  than  in  the  stirring  times 
of  my  youth.  Then,  thank  God,  it  was  held  more 
necessary  for  a  page  to  know  his  seven  points  of  horse- 
manship than  how  to  tie  a  ribbon,  or  prank  a  gown,  or 
read  a  primer. 

But  the  first  day  of  this  year  was  destined  to  be  a 
day  of  vexation.  I  had  scarcely  entered  the  school, 
when  M.  de  Varennes  was  announced.  Instead  of 
going  to  meet  him  I  bade  them  bring  him  to  me, 
and,  on  seeing  him,  bade  him  welcome   to  the  sports. 


206      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER  OF  FRANCE. 

"  Though,"  I  said,  politely  overlooking  his  past  history 
and  his  origin,  "  we  did  better  in  our  times  ;  yet  the 
young  fellows  should  be  encouraged." 

"Very  true,"  he  answered  suavely.  "And  I  wish  I 
could  stay  with  you.  But  it  was  not  for  pleasure  I  came. 
The  King  sent  me.     He  desires  to  know " 

"  What  ?  "   I  said. 

"  If  you  know  anything  of  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley. 
Between  ourselves,  M.  le  Due " 

I  looked  at  him  in  amazement.  "  Why,"  I  said, 
"  what  on  earth  has  the  girl  done  now  ?  " 

"  Disappeared,"  he  answered. 

"But  she  had  done  that  before." 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "and  the  King  had  your  message. 
But " 

"  But  what  ?  "  I  said  sternly. 

"  He  thought  that  you  might  wish  to  supplement  it 
for  his  private  use." 

"To  supplement  it  ?  " 

"  Yes.  The  truth  is,"  Varennes  continued,  looking  at 
me  doubtfully,  "  the  King  has  information  which  leads 
him  to  suppose  that  she  may  be  here." 

"  She  may  be  anywhere,"  I  answered  in  a  tone  that 
closed  his  mouth,  "  but  she  is  not  here.  And  you  may 
tell  the  King  so  from  me  !  " 

Though  he  had  begun  life  as  a  cook,  few  could  be 
more  arrogant  than  Varennes  on  occasion  ;  but  he  pos- 
sessed the  valuable  knack  of  knowing  with  whom  he 
could  presume,  and  never  attempted  to  impose  on  me. 
Apologising  with  the  easy  grace  of  a  man  who  had  risen 


THE  MAW    OF  HONOUR.  207 

in  life  by  pleasing,  he  sat  with  me  awhile,  recalling  old 
days  and  feats,  and  then  left,  giving  me  to  understand 
that  I  might  depend  on  him  to  disabuse  the  King's 
mind. 

As  a  fact,  Henry  visited  me  that  evening  without 
raising  the  subject ;  nor  had  I  any  reason  to  complain 
of  his  generosity,  albeit  he  took  care  to  exact  from  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Finances  more  than  he  gave  his 
servant,  and  for  one  gift  to  Peter  got  two  Pauls  satisfied. 
To  obtain  the  money  he  needed  in  the  most  commodi- 
ous manner,  I  spent  the  greater  part  of  two  days  in 
accounts,  and  had  not  yet  settled  the  warrants  to  my 
liking,  when  La  Trape  coming  in  with  candles  on  the 
second  evening  disturbed  my  secretaries.  The  men 
yawned  discreetly ;  and  reflecting  that  we  had  had  a 
long  day  I  dismissed  them,  and  stayed  myself  only  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  one  or  two  papers  of  a  private 
nature.     Then  I  bade  La  Trape  light  me  to  my  closet. 

Instead,  he  stood  and  craved  leave  to  speak  to  me. 
"About  what,  sirrah?"  I  said. 

"I  have  received  an  offer,  your  excellency,"  he  an- 
swered with  a  crafty  look. 

"What!  To  leave  my  service?"  I  exclaimed,  in 
surprise. 

"No,  your  excellency,"  he  answered.  "To  do  a  ser- 
vice for  another — M.  Pimentel.  The  Portuguese  gen- 
tleman stopped  me  in  the  street  to-day,  and  offered  me 
fifty  crowns." 

"To  do  what  ? "  I  asked. 

"To  tell  him  where   the  young   lady  with  Madame 


2o8       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

lies ;  and  lend  him  the  key  of  the  garden  gate  to- 
night." 

I  stared  at  the  fellow.  "The  young  lady  with 
Madame?"  I  said. 

He  returned  my  look  with  a  stupidity  which  I  knew 
was  assumed.  "  Yes,  your  excellency.  The  young  lady 
who  came  this  morning,"  he  said. 

Then  I  knew  that  I  had  been  betrayed,  and  had  given 
my  enemies  such  a  handle  as  they  would  not  be  slow  to 
seize ;  and  I  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  room  in  the 
utmost  grief  and  consternation.  At  last,  "  Stay  here," 
I  said  to  the  man,  as  soon  as  I  could  speak.  "  Do  not 
move  from  the  spot  where  you  stand  until  I  come 
back!" 

It  was  my  almost  invariable  custom  to  be  announced 
when  I  visited  my  wife's  closet ;  but  I  had  no  mind  now 
for  such  formalities,  and  swiftly  passing  two  or  three 
scared  servants  on  the  stairs,  I  made  straight  for  her 
room,  tapped  and  entered.  Abrupt  as  were  my  move- 
ments, however,  some  one  had  contrived  to  warn  her ; 
for  though  two  of  her  women  sat  working  on  stools 
near  her,  I  heard  a  hasty  foot  flying,  and  caught  the  last 
flutter  of  a  skirt  as  it  disappeared  through  a  second  door. 
My  wife  rose  from  her  seat,  and  looked  at  me  guiltily. 

"  Madame,"  I  said,  "  send  these  women  away.  Now," 
I  continued  when  they  had  gone,  "  who  was  that  with 
you  t 

She  looked  away  dumbly. 

"You  do  well  not  to  try  to  deceive  me,  Madame,"  I 
continued  severely.     "  It  was  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley." 


THE  MAW    OF  HONOUR.  20g 

She  muttered,  not  daring  to  meet  my  eye,  that  it 
was. 

"  Who  has  absented  herself  from  the  Queen's  service," 
I  answered  bitterly,  "  and  chosen  to  hide  herself  here  of 
all  places  !  Madame,"  I  continued,  with  a  severity  which 
the  sense  of  my  false  position  amply  justified,  "are  you 
aware  that  you  have  made  me  dishonour  myself  ?  That 
you  have  made  me  lie ;  not  once,  but  three  times  ? 
That  you  have  made  me  deceive  my  master  ? " 

She  cried  out  at  that,  being  frightened,  that  "  she  had 
meant  no  harm  ;  that  the  girl  coming  to  her  in  great 


grief  and  trouble " 

"  Because  the  Queen  had  scolded  her  for  breaking  a 
china  jar  !  "  I  said  contemptuously. 

"  No,  monsieur ;  her  trouble  was  of  quite  another 
kind,"  my  wife  answered  with  more  spirit  than  I  had 
expected. 

"  Pshaw  !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  It  is  plain  that  you  do  not  yet  understand  the  case," 
Madame  persisted,  facing  me  with  trembling  hardihood. 
"Mademoiselle  D'Oyley  has  been  persecuted  for  some 
time  by  the  suit  of  a  man  for  whom  I  know  you,  mon- 
sieur, have  no  respect  :  a  man  whom  no  Frenchwoman 
of  family  should  be  forced  to  marry." 

"  Who  is  it  ?  "  I  said  curtly. 

"M.  Pimentel." 

"  Ah  !     And  the  Queen  ?  " 

"  Has  made  his  suit  her  own.  Doubtless  her  Majesty," 
Madame  de  Sully  continued  with  grimness,  "  who  plays 
with  him  so  much,  is  under  obligations  to  him,  and  has 
p 


2io      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

her   reasons.     The    King,  too,  is  on  his  side,  so   that 
Mademoiselle " 


"  Who  has  another  lover,  I  suppose  ? "  I  said  harshly. 

My  wife  looked  at  me  in  trepidation.  "  It  may  be  so, 
monsieur,"  she  said  hesitating. 

"  It  is  so,  Madame ;  and  you  know  it,"  I  answered  in 
the  same  tone.     "  M.  Vallon  is  the  man." 

"Oh  !"  she  exclaimed  with  a  gesture  of  alarm.  "You 
know !  " 

"  I  know,  Madame,"  I  replied,  with  vigour,  "  that  to 
please  this  love-sick  girl  you  have  placed  me  in  a  posi- 
tion of  the  utmost  difficulty;  that  you  have  jeopardised 
the  confidence  which  my  master,  whom  I  have  never 
willingly  deceived,  places  in  me ;  and  that  out  of  all  this 
I  see  only  one  way  of  escape,  and  that  is  by  a  full  and 
frank  confession,  which  you  must  make  to  the  Queen." 

"  Oh,  monsieur,"  she  said  faintly. 

"The  girl,  of  course,  must  be  immediately  given  up." 

My  wife  began  to  sob  at  that,  as  women  will ;  but  I 
had  too  keen  a  sense  of  the  difficulties  into  which  she 
had  plunged  me  by  her  deceit,  to  pity  her  over  much. 
And,  doubtless,  I  should  have  continued  in  the  resolu- 
tion I  had  formed,  and  which  appeared  to  hold  out  the 
only  hope  of  avoiding  the  malice  of  those  enemies  whom 
every  man  in  power  possesses  — and  none  can  afford  to 
despise  —  if  La  Trape's  words,  when  he  betrayed  the 
secret  to  me,  had  not  recurred  to  my  mind  and  sug- 
gested other  reflections. 

Doubtless,  Mademoiselle  had  been  watched  into  my 
house,  and  my  ill-wishers  would  take  the  earliest  oppor- 


THE  MAID   OF  HONOUR.  2II 

tunity  of  bringing  the  lie  home  to  me.  My  wife's  con- 
fession, under  such  circumstances,  would  have  but  a 
simple  air,  and  believed  by  some  would  be  ridiculed  by 
more.  It  might,  and  probably  would,  save  my  credit 
with  the  King ;  but  it  would  not  exalt  me  in  others' 
eyes,  or  increase  my  reputation  as  a  manager.  If  there 
were  any  other  way  —  and  so  reflecting,  I  thought  of 
La  Trape  and  his  story. 

Still  I  was  half  way  to  the  door  when  I  paused,  and 
turned.  My  wife  was  still  weeping.  "It  is  no  good 
crying  over  spilled  milk,  Madame,"  I  said  severely.  "  If 
the  girl  were  not  a  fool,  she  would  have  gone  to  the 
Ursulines.  The  abbess  has  a  stiff  neck,  and  is  as  big  a 
simpleton  to  boot  as  you  are.  It  is  only  a  step,  too, 
from  here  to  the  Ursulines,  if  she  had  had  the  sense  to 
go  on." 

My  wife  lifted  her  head,  and  looked  at  me  eagerly ; 
but  I  avoided  her  gaze  and  went  out  without  more,  and 
downstairs  to  my  study,  where  I  found  La  Trape  await- 
ing me.  "  Go  to  Madame  la  Duchesse,"  I  said  to  him. 
"  When  you  have  done  what  she  needs,  come  to  me  in 
my  closet." 

He  obeyed,  and  after  an  interval  of  about  half  an 
hour,  during  which  I  had  time  to  mature  my  plan, 
presented  himself  again  before  me.  "  Pimentel  had  a 
notion  that  the  young  lady  was  here  then  ? "  I  said 
carelessly. 

"Yes,  your  excellency." 

"  Some  of  his  people  fancied  that  they  saw  her  enter, 
perhaps  ? " 


212      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"Yes,  your  excellency." 

"They  were  mistaken,  of  course?" 

"  Of  course,"  he  answered  dutifully. 

"  Or  she  may  have  come  to  the  door  and  gone 
again  ?  "   I  suggested. 

"Possibly,  your  excellency." 

"  Gone  on  without  being  seen,  I  mean  ? " 

"  If  she  went  in  the  direction  of  the  Rue  St. 
Marcel,"  he  answered  stolidly,  "she  would  not  be  seen." 

The  convent  of  the  Ursulines  is  in  the  Rue  St. 
Marcel.  I  knew,  therefore,  that  Madame  had  had  the 
sense  to  act  on  my  hint  ;  and  after  reflecting  a  moment 
I  continued,  "  So  Pimentel  wished  to  know  where  she 
was  lodged  ? " 

"That,  and  to  have  the  key,  your  excellency." 

"  To-night  ? " 

"  Yes,  your  excellency." 

"Well,  you  are  at  liberty  to  accept  the  offer,"  I 
answered  carelessly.  "  It  will  not  clash  with  my  ser- 
vice." And  then,  as  he  stood  staring  in  astonishment, 
striving  to  read  the  riddle,  I  continued,  "  By  the  way, 
are  the  rooms  in  the  little  Garden  Pavilion  aired  ?  They 
may  be  needed  next  week  ;  see  that  one  of  the  women 
sleeps  there  to-night  ;  a  woman  you  can  depend  on." 

"Ah,  monsieur ! " 

He  said  no  more,  but  I  saw  that  he  understood  ;  and 
bidding  him  be  careful  in  following  my  instructions,  I 
dismissed  him.  The  line  I  had  determined  to  take  was 
attended  by  many  uncertainties,  however;  and  more 
than  once  I  repented  that  I  had  not  followed  my  first 


THE  MAID   OF  HONOUR.  213 

instinct,  and  avowed  the  truth.  A  hundred  things  might 
fall  out  to  frustrate  my  scheme  and  place  me  in  a  false 
position  ;  from  which  —  since  the  confidence  of  his  sov- 
ereign is  the  breath  of  a  minister,  and  as  easily  destroyed 
as  a  woman's  reputation  —  I  might  find  it  impossible  to 
extricate  myself  with  credit. 

I  slept,  therefore,  but  ill  that  night ;  and  in  conjunc- 
tures apparently  more  serious  have  felt  less  trepidation. 
But  experience  has  long  ago  taught  me  that  trifles, 
not  great  events,  unseat  the  statesman,  and  that  of  all 
intrigues  those  which  revolve  round  a  woman  are  the 
most  dangerous.  I  rose  early,  therefore,  and  repaired 
to  Court  before  my  usual  hour,  it  being  the  essence  of 
my  plan  to  attack,  instead  of  waiting  to  be  attacked. 

Doubtless  my  early  appearance  was  taken  to  corrob- 
orate the  rumour  that  I  had  made  a  false  step,  and  was 
in  difficulties  ;  for  scarcely  had  I  crossed  the  threshold 
of  the  ante-chamber  before  the  attitude  of  the  courtiers 
caught  my  attention.  Some  who  twenty-four  hours 
earlier  would  have  been  only  too  glad  to  meet  my  eye 
and  obtain  a  word  of  recognition,  appeared  to  be 
absorbed  in  conversation.  Others,  less  transparent  or 
better  inclined  to  me,  greeted  me  with  unnatural  effu- 
sion. One  who  bore  a  grudge  against  me,  but  had 
never  before  dared  to  do  more  than  grin,  now  scowled 
openly  ;  while  a  second,  perhaps  the  most  foolish  of  all, 
came  to  me  with  advice,  drew  me  with  insistency  into 
a  niche  near  the  door,  and  adjured  me  to  be  cautious. 

"You  are  too  bold,"  he  said;  "  and  that  way  your 
enemies  find   their   opening.     Do  not  go  to  the  King 


2i4      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

now.  He  is  incensed  against  you.  But  we  all  know 
that  he  loves  you  ;  wait,  therefore,  my  friend,  until  he 
has  had  his  day's  hunting  —  he  is  just  now  booting  him- 
self—  and  see  him  when  he  has  ridden  off  his  annoy- 
ance." 

"  And  when  my  friends,  my  dear  Marquis,  have  had 
to  poison  his  mind  against  me  ?  No,  no,"  I  answered, 
wondering  much  whether  he  were  as  simple  as  he 
looked. 

"But  the  Queen  is  with  him  now,"  he  persisted, 
seizing  the  lapel  of  my  coat  to  stay  me,  "  and  she  will 
be  sure  to  put  in  a  word  against  you." 

"Therefore,"  I  answered  drily,  "I  had  better  see  his 
Majesty  before  the  one  word  becomes  two." 

"Be  persuaded,"  he  entreated  me.  "See  him  now, 
and  nothing  but  ill  will  come  of  it." 

"  Nothing  but  ill  for  some,"  I  retorted,  looking  so 
keenly  at  him  that  his  visage  fell.  And  with  that  he  let 
me  go,  and  with  a  smile  I  passed  through  the  door. 
The  rumour  had  not  yet  gained  such  substance  that  the 
crowd  had  lost  all  respect  for  me  ;  it  rolled  back  ;  and  I 
passed  through  it  towards  the  end  of  the  chamber,  where 
the  King  was  stooping  to  draw  on  one  of  his  boots. 
The  Queen  stood  not  far  from  him,  gazing  into  the  fire 
with  an  air  of  ill-temper  which  the  circle,  serious  and 
silent,  seemed  to  reflect.  I  looked  everywhere  for  the 
Portuguese,  but  he  was  not  to  be  seen. 

For  a  moment  the  King  affected  to  be  unaware  of  my 
presence,  and  even  turned  his  shoulder  to  me ;  but  I 
observed  that  he  reddened,  and  fidgeted  nervously  with 


THE  MAID   OF  HONOUR.  215 

the  boot  which  he  was  drawing  on.  Nothing  daunted, 
therefore,  I  waited  until  he  perforce  discovered  me,  and 
was  obliged  to  greet  me.  "  You  are  early  this  morning," 
he  said,  at  last,  with  a  grudging  air. 

"For  the  best  of  reasons,  sire,"  I  answered  hardily. 
"  I  am  ill  placed  at  home,  and  come  to  you  for  justice." 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  said  churlishly  and  unwillingly. 

I  was  about  to  answer,  when  the  Queen  interposed 
with  a  sneer.  "  I  think  that  I  can  tell  you,  sire,"  she 
said.  "  M.  de  Sully  is  old  enough  to  know  the  adage, 
'Bite  before  you  are  bitten.'  ': 

"Madame,"  I  said,  respectfully  but  with  firmness. 
"I  know  this  only,  that  my  house  was  last  night  the 
scene  of  a  gross  outrage  ;  and  by  all  I  can  learn  it  was 
perpetrated  by  one  who  is  under  your  Majesty's 
protection." 

"  His  name  ? "  she  said,  with  a  haughty  gesture. 

"  M.  Pimentel." 

The  Queen  began  to  smile.  "What  was  this  gross 
outrage  ?  "  she  asked  drily. 

"  In  the  course  of  last  night  he  broke  into  my  house 
with  a  gang  of  wretches,  and  bore  off  one  of  the 
inmates." 

The  Queen's  smile  grew  broader ;  the  King  began  to 
grin.  Some  of  the  circle,  watching  them  closely,  ven- 
tured to  smile  also.  "  Come,  my  friend,"  Henry  said, 
almost  with  good  humour,  "  this  is  all  very  well.  But 
this  inmate  of  yours — was  a  very  recent  one." 

"Was,  in  fact,  I  suppose,  the  rebellious  little  wench 
of  whom  you   knew   nothing   yesterday ! "  the    Queen 


2i6      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

cried  harshly,  and  with  an  air  of  open  triumph.  "  There 
can  be  no  stealing  of  stolen  goods,  sir  ;  and  if  M. 
Pimentel,  who  had  at  least  as  much  right  as  you  to  the 
girl  —  and  more,  for  I  am  her  guardian  —  has  carried 
her  off,  you  have  small  ground  to  complain." 

"  But,  Madame,"  I  said,  with  an  air  of  bewilderment, 
"  I  really  do  not  —  it  must  be  my  fault,  but  I  do  not 
understand." 

Two  or  three  sniggered,  seeing  me  apparently  check- 
mated and  at  the  end  of  my  resources.  And  the  King 
laughed  out  with  kindly  malice.  "  Come,  Grand  Master," 
he  said,  "  I  think  that  you  do.  However,  if  Pimentel 
has  carried  off  the  damsel,  there,  it  seems  to  me,  is  an 
end  of  the  matter." 

"But,  sire,"  I  answered,  looking  sternly  round  the 
grinning  circle,  "  am  I  mad,  or  is  there  some  mystery 
here?  I  assured  your  Majesty  yesterday  that  Mademoi- 
selle D'Oyley  was  not  in  my  house.  I  say  the  same  to- 
day. She  is  not ;  your  officers  may  search  every  room 
and  closet.  And  for  the  woman  whom  M.  Pimentel 
has  carried  off,  she  is  no  more  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley 
than  I  am  ;  she  is  one  of  my  wife's  waiting-maids.  If 
you  doubt  me,"  I  continued,  "  you  have  only  to  send 
and  ask.     Ask  the  Portuguese  himself." 

The  King  stared  at  me.  "  Nonsense!"  he  said 
sharply.  "  If  Pimentel  has  carried  off  any  one,  it  must 
be  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley." 

"But  it  is  not,  sire,"  I  answered  with  persistence.  "He 
has  broken  into  my  house,  and  abducted  my  servant. 
For  Mademoiselle,  she  is  not  there  to  be  stolen." 


THE  MAID    OF  HOXOUR. 


217 


"  Let  some  one  go  for  Pimentel,"  the  King  said 
curtly. 

But  the  Portuguese,  as  it  happened,  was  at  the  door 
even  then,  and  being  called,  had  no  alternative  but  to 


THE  PORTUGUESE 


WAS  AT  THE  DOOR 


come  forward.  His  face  and  mien  as  he  entered  and 
reluctantly  showed  himself  were  more  than  enough  to 
dissipate  any  doubts  which  the  courtiers  had  hitherto 
entertained  ;  the  former  being  as  gloomy  and  downcast  as 


2i8      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

the  latter  was  timid  and  cringing.  It  is  true  he  made 
some  attempt  at  first,  and  for  a  time,  to  face  the  matter 
out ;  stammering  and  stuttering,  and  looking  piteously 
to  the  Queen  for  help.  But  he  could  not  long  delay  the 
crisis,  nor  deny  that  the  person  he  had  so  cunningly 
abducted  was  one  of  my  waiting  women ;  and  the 
moment  that  this  confession  was  made  his  case  was  at 
an  end,  the  statement  being  received  with  so  universal 
a  peal  of  laughter,  the  King  leading,  as  at  one  and  the 
same  time  discomfited  him,  and  must  have  persuaded 
any  indifferent  listener  that  all,  from  the  first,  had  been 
in  the  secret. 

After  that  he  would  have  spent  himself  in  vain,  had 
he  contended  that  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley  was  at  my 
house  ;  and  so  clear  was  this  that  he  made  no  second 
attempt  to  do  so,  but  at  once  admitting  that  his  people 
had  made  a  mistake,  he  proffered  me  a  handsome 
apology,  and  desired  the  King  to  speak  to  me  in  his 
behalf. 

This  I,  on  my  side,  was  pleased  to  take  in  good  part ; 
and  having  let  him  off  easily  with  a  mild  rebuke,  I 
turned  from  him  to  the  Queen,  and  informed  her  with 
much  respect  that  I  had  learned  at  length  where 
Mademoiselle  D'Oyley  had  taken  refuge. 

"Where,  sir  ?"  she  asked,  eyeing  me  suspiciously  and 
with  no  little  disfavour. 

"  At  the  Ursulines,  Madame,"  I  answered. 

She  winced,  for  she  had  already  quarrelled  with  the 
abbess  without  advantage.  And  there  for  the  moment 
the  matter  ended.     At  a  later  period   I  took  care    to 


TH2£  MAID    OF  HONOUR.  219 

confess  all  to  the  King,  and  he  did  not  fail  to  laugh 
heartily  at  the  clever  manner  in  which  I  had  outwitted 
Pimentel.  But  this  was  not  until  the  Portuguese  had 
left  the  country  and  gone  to  Italy,  the  affair  between 
him  and  Mademoiselle  D'Oyley  (which  resolved  itself 
into  a  contest  between  the  Queen  and  the  Ursulines) 
having  come  to  a  close  under  circumstances  which  it 
may  be  my  duty  to  relate  in  another  place. 


FARMING  THE   TAXES. 


IX. 

FARMING    THE    TAXES. 

In  the  summer  of  the  year  1608,  determining  to  take 
up  my  abode,  when  not  in  Paris,  at  Villebon,  where  I  had 
lately  enlarged  my  property,  I  went  thither  from  Rouen 
with  my  wife,  to  superintend  the  building  and  mark  out 
certain  plantations  which  I  projected.  As  the  heat  that 
month  was  great,  and  the  dust  of  the  train  annoying,  I 
made  each  stage  in  the  evening  and  on  horseback,  leav- 
ing my  wife  to  proceed  at  her  leisure.  In  this  way  I 
was  able,  by  taking  rough  paths,  to  do  in  two  or  three 
hours  a  distance  which  her  coaches  had  scarcely  covered 
in  the  day  ;  but  on  the  third  evening,  intending  to  make 
a  short  cut  by  a  ford  on  the  Vaucouleurs,  I  found,  to  my 
chagrin,  the  advantage  on  the  other  side,  the  ford,  when 
I  reached  it  at  sunset,  proving  impracticable.  As  there 
was  every  prospect,  however,  that  the  water  would  fall 
within  a  few  hours,  I  determined  not  to  retrace  my  steps  ; 
but  to  wait  where  I  was  until  morning,  and  complete 
my  journey  to  Houdan  in  the  early  hours. 

There  was  a  poor  inn  near  the  ford,  a  mere  hovel  of 
wood  on  a  brick  foundation,  yet  with  two  storeys.  I 
made  my  way  to  this  with  Maignan  and  La  Trape,  who 
formed,   with  two  grooms,  my  only  attendants  ;  but  on 

223 


224       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

coming  near  the  house,  and  looking  about  with  a  curious 
eye,  I  remarked  something  which  fixed  my  attention, 
and,  for  the  moment,  brought  me  to  a  halt.  This  was 
the  spectacle  of  three  horses,  of  fair  quality,  feeding  in 
a  field  of  growing  corn,  which  was  the  only  enclosure 
near  the  inn.  They  were  trampling  and  spoiling  more 
than  they  ate  ;  and,  supposing  that  they  had  strayed  into 
the  place,  and  the  house  showing  no  signs  of  life,  I  bade 
my  grooms  fetch  them  out.  The  sun  was  about  setting, 
and  I  stood  a  moment  watching  the  long  shadows  of  the 
men  as  they  plodded  through  the  corn,  and  the  attitudes 
of  the  horses  as,  with  heads  raised,  they  looked  doubt- 
fully at  the  newcomers. 

Suddenly  a  man  came  round  the  corner  of  the  house, 
and  seeing  us,  and  what  my  men  were  doing,  began  to 
gesticulate  violently,  but  without  sound.  The  grooms 
saw  him  too,  and  stood  ;  and  he  ran  up  to  my  stirrup,  his 
face  flushed  and  sullen. 

"Do  you  want  to  see  us  all  ruined?"  he  muttered. 
And  he  begged  me  to  call  my  men  out  of  the  corn. 

"  You  are  more  likely  to  be  ruined  that  way,"  I 
answered,  looking  down  at  him.  "  Why,  man,  is  it  the 
custom  in  your  country  to  turn  horses  into  the  half-ripe 
corn?" 

He  shook  his  fist  stealthily.  "  God  forbid  !  "  he  said, 
"  But  the  devil  is  within  doors,  and  we  must  do  his 
bidding." 

"Ah  !  "  I  replied,  my  curiosity  aroused.  "  I  should 
like  to  see  him." 

The  boor  shaded  his  eyes,  and  looked  at  me  sulkily 


$&-& 


God  forbid,"   lie  said. 


FARMING    THE  TAXES.  225 

from  under  his  matted  and  tangled  hair.     "  You  are  not 
of  his  company  ?  "  he  said  with  suspicion. 

"  I  hope  not,"  I  answered,  smiling  at  his  simplicity. 
"  But  your  corn  is  your  own.  I  will  call  the  men  out." 
On  which  I  made  a  sign  to  them  to  return.  "  Now," 
I  said,  as  I  walked  my  horse  slowly  towards  the  house, 
while  he  tramped  along  beside  me,  "  who  is  within  ?  " 

"M.  Gringuet,"  he  said,  with  another  stealthy  gesture. 

"  Ah  !  "   I  said,  "  I  am  afraid  that  I  am  no  wiser." 

"  The  tax-gatherer." 

"  Oh  !     And  those  are  his  horses  ?  " 

He  nodded. 

"  Still,  I  do  not  see  why  they  are  in  the  corn." 

"  I  have  no  hay." 

"But  there  is  grass." 

"Ay,"  the  inn-keeper  answered  bitterly.  "And  he 
said  that  I  might  eat  it.  It  was  not  good  enough  for 
his  horses.  They  must  have  hay  or  corn ;  and  if  I  had 
none,  so  much  the  worse  for  me." 

Full  of  indignation,  I  made  in  my  mind  a  note  of 
M.  Gringuet's  name  ;  but  at  the  moment  I  said  no  more, 
and  we  proceeded  to  the  house,  the  exterior  of  which, 
though  meagre,  and  even  miserable,  gave  me  an  impres- 
sion of  neatness.  From  the  inside,  however,  a  hoarse, 
continuous  noise  was  issuing,  which  resolved  itself  as 
we  crossed  the  threshold  into  a  man's  voice.  The 
speaker  was  out  of  sight,  in  an  upper  room  to  which  a 
ladder  gave  access,  but  his  oaths,  complaints,  and  im- 
precations almost  shook  the  house.  A  middle-aged 
woman,  scantily  dressed,  was  busy  on  the  hearth ;  but 


226       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

perhaps  that  which,  next  to  the  perpetual  scolding  that 
was  going  on  above,  most  took  my  attention  was  a  great 
lump  of  salt  that  stood  on  the  table  at  the  woman's 
elbow,  and  seemed  to  be  evidence  of  greater  luxury  — 
for  the  gabelle  had  not  at  that  time  been  reduced  — 
than  I  could  easily  associate  with  the  place. 

The  roaring  and  blustering  continuing  upstairs,  I 
stood  a  moment  in  sheer  astonishment.  "  Is  that  M. 
Gringuet  ?  "     I  said  at  last. 

The  inn-keeper  nodded  sullenly,  while  his  wife  stared 
at  me.     "  But  what  is  the  matter  with  him  ?  "  I  said. 

"The  gout.  But  for  that  he  would  have  been  gone 
these  two  days  to  collect  at  Le  Mesnil." 

"  Ah  !  "  I  answered,  beginning  to  understand.  "  And 
the  salt  is  for  a  bath  for  his  feet,  is  it  ? " 

The  woman  nodded. 

"Well,"  I  said,  as  Maignan  came  in  with  my  saddle- 
bags and  laid  them  on  the  floor,  "  he  will  swear  still 
louder  when  he  gets  the  bill,  I  should  think." 

"  Bill  ?  "  the  housewife  answered  bitterly,  looking  up 
again  from  her  pots.  "  A  tax-gatherer's  bill  ?  Go  to 
the  dead  man  and  ask  for  the  price  of  his  coffin  ;  or  to 
the  babe  for  a  nurse-fee  !  You  will  get  paid  as  soon.  A 
tax-gatherer's  bill  ?  Be  thankful  if  he  does  not  take  the 
dish  with  the  sop  !  " 

She  spoke  plainly ;  yet  I  found  a  clearer  proof  of 
the  slavery  in  which  the  man  held  them  in  the  perfect 
indifference  with  which  they  regarded  my  arrival  — 
though  a  guest  with  two  servants  must  have  been  a 
rarity  in  such  a  place  —  and  the  listless  way  in  which 


FARMING    THE  TAXES.  227 

they  set  about  attending  to  my  wants.  Keenly  remem- 
bering that  not  long  before  this  my  enemies  had  striven 
to  prejudice  me  in  the  King's  eyes  by  alleging  that, 
though  I  filled  his  coffers,  I  was  grinding  the  poor  into 
the  dust  —  and  even,  by  my  exactions,  provoking  a  re- 
bellion —  I  was  in  no  mood  to  look  with  an  indulgent 
eye  on  those  who  furnished  such  calumnies  with  a  show 
of  reason.  But  it  has  never  been  my  wont  to  act  has- 
tily ;  and  while  I  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  kitchen,  de- 
bating whether  I  should  order  the  servants  to  fling  the 
fellow  out,  and  bid  him  appear  before  me  at  Villebon 
instead,  or  should  have  him  brought  up  there  and  then, 
the  man's  coarse  voice,  which  had  never  ceased  to  growl 
and  snarl  above  us,  rose  on  a  sudden  still  louder.  Some- 
thing: fell  on  the  floor  over  our  heads  and  rolled  across 
it  ;  and  immediately  a  young  girl,  barefoot  and  short- 
skirted,  scrambled  hurriedly  and  blindly  down  the  lad- 
der and  landed  among  us. 

She  was  sobbing,  and  a  little  blood  was  flowing  from 
a  cut  in  her  lip  ;  and  she  trembled  all  over.  At  sight  of 
the  blood  and  her  tears  the  woman  seemed  to  be  trans- 
ported. Snatching  up  a  saucepan,  she  sprang  towards 
the  ladder  with  a  gesture  of  rage,  and  in  a  moment 
would  have  ascended  if  her  husband  had  not  followed 
and  dragged  her  back.  The  girl  also,  as  soon  as  she 
could  speak,  added  her  entreaties  to  his,  while  Maignan 
and  La  Trape  looked  sharply  at  me,  as  if  they  expected 
a  signal. 

All  this  while,  the  bully  above  continued  his  male- 
dictions.    "Send    that  slut  back  to  me!"    he  roared. 


228      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  am  going  to  be  left  alone  in  this 
hole?  Send  her  back,  or "  and  he  added  half-a- 
dozen  oaths  of  a  kind  to  make  an  honest  man's  blood 
boil.  In  the  midst  of  this,  however,  and  while  the 
woman  was  still  contending  with  her  husband,  he  sud- 
denly stopped  and  shrieked  in  anguish,  crying  out  for 
the  salt-bath. 

But  the  woman,  whom  her  husband  had  only  half- 
pacified,  shook  her  fist  at  the  ceiling  with  a  laugh  of 
defiance.  "  Shriek  ;  ay,  you  may  shriek,  you  wretch  !  " 
she  cried.  "  You  must  be  waited  on  by  my  girl,  must 
you  —  no  older  face  will  do  for  you  —  and  you  beat  her  ? 
Your  horses  must  eat  corn,  must  they,  while  we  eat 
grass  ?  And  we  buy  salt  for  you,  and  wheaten  bread 
for  you,  and  are  beggars  for  you  !  For  you,  you  thiev- 
ing wretch,  who  tax  the  poor  and  let  the  rich  go  free ; 
who " 

"  Silence,  woman  !  "  her  husband  cried,  cutting  her 
short,  with  a  pale  face.  "  Hush,  hush  ;  he  will  hear 
you !  " 

But  the  woman  was  too  far  gone  in  rage  to  obey. 
"What!  and  is  it  not  true?"  she  answered,  her  eyes 
glittering.  "  Will  he  not  to-morrow  go  to  Le  Mesnil 
and  squeeze  the  poor  ?  Ay,  and  will  not  Lescauts  the 
corn-dealer,  and  Philippon  the  silk-merchant,  come  to 
him  with  bribes,  and  go  free  ?  And  de  Fonvelle  and  de 
Curtin  —  they  with  a  de,  forsooth  !  —  plead  their  nobil- 
ity, and  grease  his  hands,  and  go  free  ?     Ay,  and " 

"  Silence,  woman  !  "  the  man  said  again,  looking  ap- 
prehensively at  me,  and  from  me  to  my  attendants,  who 


FARMING    THE   TAXES.  229 

were  grinning  broadly.     "  You  do  not  know  that  this 
gentleman  is  not " 

"A  tax-gatherer?"  I  said,  smiling.  "  No.  But  how 
long  has  your  friend  upstairs  been  here  ?" 

"Two  days,  monsieur,"  she  answered,  wiping  the 
perspiration  from  her  brow,  and  speaking  more  quietly. 
"  He  is  talking  of  sending  on  a  deputy  to  Le  Mesnil ; 
but  Heaven  send  he  may  recover,  and  go  from  here 
himself ! " 

"Well,"  I  answered,  "at  any  rate,  we  have  had 
enough  of  this  noise.  My  servant  shall  go  up  and  tell 
him  that  there  is  a  gentleman  here  who  cannot  put  up 
with  a  disturbance.  Maignan,"  I  continued,  "see  the 
man,  and  tell  him  that  the  inn  is  not  his  private  house, 
and  that  he  must  groan  more  softly ;  but  do  not  men- 
tion my  name.  And  let  him  have  his  brine  bath,  or 
there  will  be  no  peace  for  any  one." 

Maignan  and  La  Trape,  who  knew  me,  and  had 
counted  on  a  very  different  order,  stared  at  me,  wonder- 
ing at  my  easiness  and  complaisance ;  for  there  is  a 
species  of  tyranny,  unassociated  with  rank,  that  even 
the  coarsest  view  with  indignation.  But  the  woman's 
statement,  which,  despite  its  wildness  and  her  excite- 
ment, I  saw  no  reason  to  doubt,  had  suggested  to  me  a 
scheme  of  punishment  more  refined  ;  and  which  might, 
at  one  and  the  same  time,  be  of  profit  to  the  King's 
treasury  and  a  lesson  to  Gringuet.  To  carry  it  through 
I  had  to  submit  to  some  inconvenience,  and  particularly 
to  a  night  passed  under  the  same  roof  with  the  rogue  ; 
but  as  the  news    that  a  traveller  of   consequence  was 


230 


MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


come  had  the  effect,  aided  by  a  few  sharp  words  from 
Maignan,  of  lowering  his  tone,  and  forcing  him  to  keep 
within  bounds,  I  was  able  to  endure  this  and  overlook 
the  occasional  outbursts  of  spleen  which  his  disease  and 
pampered  temper  still  drew  from  him. 

His  two  men,  who  had  been  absent  on  an  errand  at 
the  time  of  my  arrival,  presently  returned,  and  were 
doubtless  surprised  to  find  a  second  company  in  pos- 
session. They  tried  my  attendants  with  a  number  of 
questions,  but  without  success  ;  while  I,  by  listening 
while  I  had  my  supper,  learned  more  of  their  master's 
habits  and  intentions  than  they  supposed.  They  sus- 
pected nothing,  and  at  daybreak  we  left  them  ;  and, 
the  water  having  duly  fallen  in  the  night,  we  crossed 
the  river  without  mishap,  and  for  a  league  pursued  our 
proper  road.  Then  I  halted,  and  despatching  the  two 
grooms  to  Houdan  with  a  letter  for  my  wife,  I  took,  my- 
self, the  road  to  Le  Mesnil,  which  lies  about  three 
leagues  to  the  west. 

At  a  little  inn,  a  league  short  of  Le  Mesnil,  I  stopped, 
and  instructing  my  two  attendants  in  the  parts  they 
were  to  play,  prepared,  with  the  help  of  the  seals,  which 
never  left  Maignan's  custody,  the  papers  necessary  to 
enable  me  to  enact  the  role  of  Gringuet's  deputy. 
Though  I  had  been  two  or  three  times  to  Villebon,  I 
had  never  been  within  two  leagues  of  Le  Mesnil,  and 
had  no  reason  to  suppose  that  I  should  be  recognised  ; 
but  to  lessen  the  probability  of  this  I  put  on  a  plain 
suit  belonging  to  Maignan,  with  a  black-hilted  sword, 
and  no  ornaments.     I  furthermore  waited  to  enter  the 


FARMING   THE  TAXES.  23 1 

town  until  evening,  so  that  my  presence,  being  reported, 
might  be  taken  for  granted  before  I  was  seen. 

In  a  larger  place  my  scheme  must  have  miscarried, 
but  in  this  little  town  on  the  hill,  looking  over  the 
plain  of  vineyards  and  corn-fields,  with  inn,  market- 
house,  and  church  in  the  square,  and  on  the  fourth 
side  the  open  battlements,  whence  the  towers  of 
Chartres  could  be  seen  on  a  clear  day,  I  looked  to 
have  to  do  only  with  small  men,  and  saw  no  reason 
why  it  should  fail. 

Accordingly,  riding  up  to  the  inn  about  sunset,  I 
called,  with  an  air,  for  the  landlord.  There  were  half-a- 
dozen  loungers  seated  in  a  row  on  a  bench  before  the 
door,  and  one  of  these  went  in  to  fetch  him.  When  the 
host  came  out,  with  his  apron  twisted  round  his  waist,  I 
asked  him  if  he  had  a  room. 

"Yes,"  he  said,  shading  his  eyes  to  look  at  me,  "I 
have." 

"Very  well,"  I  answered  pompously,  considering  that 
I  had  just  such  an  audience  as  I  desired  — by  which  I 
mean  one  that,  without  being  too  critical,  would  spread 
the  news.  "  I  am  M.  Gringuet's  deputy,  and  I  am  here 
with  authority  to  collect  and  remit,  receive  and  give, 
receipts  for  his  Majesty's  taxes,  tolls,  and  dues,  now, 
and  to  be,  due  and  owing.  Therefore,  my  friend,  I  will 
trouble  you  to  show  me  to  my  room." 

I  thought  that  this  announcement  would  impress  him 
as  much  as  I  desired;  but,  to  my  surprise,  he  only 
stared  at  me.  "  Eh  !  "  he  exclaimed  at  last,  in  a  falter- 
ing tone,  "  M.  Gringuet's  deputy  ?  " 


2  "2      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"Yes,"  I  said,  dismounting  somewhat  impatiently; 
"he  is  ill  with  the  gout  and  cannot  come." 

"  And  you  —  are  his  deputy  ?  " 

"  I  have  said  so." 

Still  he  did  not  move  to  do  my  bidding,  but  continued 
to  rub  his  bald  head  and  stare  at  me  as  if  I  fascinated 
him.  "Well,  I  am  —  I  mean — I  think  we  are  full," 
he  stammered  at  last,  with  his  eyes  like  saucers. 

I  replied,  with  some  impatience,  that  he  had  just  said 
that  he  had  a  room  ;  adding,  that  if  I  was  not  in  it  and 
comfortably  settled  before  five  minutes  were  up  I 
would  know  the  reason.  I  thought  that  this  would 
settle  the  matter,  whatever  maggot  had  got  into  the 
man's  head  ;  and,  in  a  way,  it  did  so,  for  he  begged  my 
pardon  hastily,  and  made  way  for  me  to  enter,  calling, 
at  the  same  time,  to  a  lad  who  was  standing  by,  to 
attend  to  the  horses.  But  when  we  were  inside  the 
door,  instead  of  showing  me  through  the  kitchen  to 
my  room,  he  muttered  something,  and  hurried  away  ; 
leaving  me  to  wonder  what  was  amiss  with  him,  and 
why  the  loungers  outside,  who  had  listened  with  all 
their  ears  to  our  conversation,  had  come  in  after  us  as 
far  as  they  dared,  and  were  regarding  us  with  an  odd 
mixture  of  suspicion  and  amusement. 

The  landlord  remained  long  away,  and  seemed,  from 
sounds  that  came  to  my  ears,  to  be  talking  with  some 
one  in  a  distant  room.  At  length,  however,  he  re- 
turned, bearing  a  candle  and  followed  by  a  serving-man. 
I  asked  him  roughly  why  he  had  been  so  long,  and  began 
to  rate  him  ;  but  he  took  the  words  out  of  my  mouth 


FARMING    THE   TAXES.  233 

by  his  humility,  and  going  before  me  through  the 
kitchen  —  where  his  wife  and  two  or  three  maids  who 
were  about  the  fire  stopped  to  look  at  us,  with  the  bast- 
ing spoons  in  their  hands  —  he  opened  a  door  which  led 
again  into  the  outer  air. 

"  It  is  across  the  yard,"  he  said  apologetically,  as  he 
went  before,  and  opening  a  second  door,  stood  aside  for 
us  to  enter.  "  But  it  is  a  good  room,  and,  if  you  please, 
a  fire  shall  be  lighted.  The  shutters  are  closed,"  he 
continued,  as  we  passed  him,  Maignan  and  La  Trape 
carrying  my  baggage,  "  but  they  shall  be  opened. 
Hallo!    Pierre!    Pierre,  there !     Open  these  shut " 

On  the  word  his  voice  rose  —  and  broke;  and  in  a 
moment  the  door,  through  which  we  had  all  passed 
unsuspecting,  fell  to  with  a  crash  behind  us.  Before 
we  could  move  we  heard  the  bars  drop  across  it.  A 
little  while  before,  La  Trape  had  taken  a  candle  from 
some  one's  hand  to  light  me  the  better ;  and  therefore 
we  were  not  in  darkness.  But  the  light  this  gave  only 
served  to  impress  on  us  what  the  falling  bars  and  the 
rising  sound  of  voices  outside  had  already  told  us  — 
that  we  were  outwitted !     We  were  prisoners. 

The  room  in  which  we  stood,  looking  foolishly  at  one 
another,  was  a  great  barn-like  chamber,  with  small  win- 
dows high  in  the  unplaistered  walls.  A  long  board  set 
on  trestles,  and  two  or  three  stools  placed  round  it  —  on 
the  occasion,  perhaps,  of  some  recent  festivity  —  had  for 
a  moment  deceived  us,  and  played  the  landlord's  game. 

In  the  first  shock  of  the  discovery,  hearing  the  bars 
drop   home,  we   stood  gaping,  and   wondering  what   it 


234      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

meant.  Then  Maignan,  with  an  oath,  sprang  to  the 
door  and  tried  it  —  fruitlessly. 

I  joined  him  more  at  my  leisure,  and  raising  my 
voice,  asked  angrily  what  this  folly  meant.  "  Open 
the  door  there!     Do  you  hear,  landlord  ? "   I  cried. 

No  one  moved,  though  Maignan  continued  to  rattle 
the  door  furiously. 

"  Do  you  hear  ? "  I  repeated,  between  anger  and 
amazement  at  the  fix  in  which  we  had  placed  ourselves. 
"Open  !  " 

But,  although  the  murmur  of  voices  outside  the  door 
grew  louder,  no  one  answered,  and  I  had  time  to  take 
in  the  full  absurdity  of  the  position  ;  to  measure  the 
height  of  the  windows  with  my  eye  and  plumb  the  dark 
shadows  under  the  rafters,  where  the  feebler  rays  of  our 
candle  lost  themselves  ;  to  appreciate,  in  a  word,  the 
extent  of  our  predicament.  Maignan  was  furious,  La 
Trape  vicious,  while  my  own  equanimity  scarcely  sup- 
ported me  against  the  thought  that  we  should  probably 
be  where  we  were  until  the  arrival  of  my  people,  whom 
I  had  directed  my  wife  to  send  to  Le  Mesnil  at  noon 
next  day.  Their  coming  would  free  us,  indeed,  but  at 
the  cost  of  ridicule  and  laughter.  Never  was  man  worse 
placed. 

Wincing  at  the  thought,  I  bade  Maignan  be  silent ; 
and,  drumming  on  the  door  myself,  I  called  for  the 
landlord.  Some  one  who  had  been  giving  directions 
in  a  tone  of  great  consequence  ceased  speaking,  and 
came  close  to  the  door.  After  listening  a  moment, 
he  struck  it  with  his  hand. 


FARMING    THE   TAXES.  235 

"Silence,  rogues!"  he  cried.  "Do  you  hear?  Si- 
lence there,  unless  you  want  your  ears  nailed  to  the 
post." 

"Fool!"  I  answered.  "Open  the  door  instantly! 
Are  you  all  mad  here,  that  you  shut  up  the  King's 
servants  in  this  way?" 

"  The  King's  servants ! "  he  cried,  jeering  at  us 
"  Where  are  they  ?  " 

"  Here !  "  I  answered,  swallowing  my  rage  as  well  as 
I  might.  "  I  am  M.  Gringuet's  deputy,  and  if  you  do 
not  this  instant " 

"M.  Gringuet's  deputy!  Ho  !  ho!"  he  said.  "Why, 
you  fool,  M.  Gringuet's  deputy  arrived  two  hours  before 
you.  You  must  get  up  a  little  earlier  another  time. 
They  are  poor  tricksters  who  are  too  late  for  the  fair. 
And  now  be  silent,  and  it  may  save  you  a  stripe  or  two 
to-morrow." 

There  are  situations  in  which  even  the  greatest  find 
it  hard  to  maintain  their  dignity,  and  this  was  one.  I 
looked  at  Maignan  and  La  Trape,  and  they  at  me,  and 
by  the  light  of  the  lanthorn  which  the  latter  held  I  saw 
that  they  were  smiling,  doubtless  at  the  dilemma  in 
which  we,  had  innocently  placed  ourselves.  But  I 
found  nothing  to  laugh  at  in  the  position  ;  since  the 
people  outside  might  at  any  moment  leave  us  where 
we  were  to  fast  until  morning ;  and,  after  a  moment's 
reflection,  I  called  out  to  know  who  the  speaker  on 
the  other  side  was. 

"  I  am  M.  de  Fonvelle,"  he  answered. 

"Well,  M.  de  Fonvelle,"  I  replied,  "I  advise  you  to 


236 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 


have  a  care  what  you  do.     I  am  M.  Gringuet's  deputy. 
The  other  man  is  an  impostor." 
He  laughed. 

"  He  has  no  papers,"  I  cried. 

"  Oh,  yes,  he  has !  "  he  answered,  mocking  me, 
"  M.  Curtin  has  seen  them,  my  fine  fellow,  and  he  is 
not  one  to  pay  money  without  warrant." 

At  this  several  laughed,  and  a  quavering  voice  chimed 
in  with  "  Oh,  yes,  he  has  papers  !  I   have  seen  them. 

Still,  in  a  case " 

"  There  !  "  M.  de  Fonvelle  cried,  drowning  the  other's 
words.     "  Now  are  you  satisfied  —  you  in  there  ?  " 

But  M.  Curtin  had  not  done.  "He  has  papers,"  he 
piped  again  in  his  thin  voice.      "  Still,  M.  de  Fonvelle, 

it  is  well  to  be  cautious,  and " 

"Tut,  tut  !  it  is  all  right." 

"  He  has  papers,  but  he  has  no  authority  !  "  I  shouted. 

"  He  has  seals,"  Fonvelle  answered.     "  It  is  all  right." 

"  It  is  all  wrong  !  "  I  retorted.     "  Wrong,  I  say  !     Go 

to  your  man,  and  you  will  find  him  gone  —  gone  with 

your  money,  M.  Curtin." 

Two  or  three  laughed,  but  I  heard  the  sound  of  feet 
hurrying  away,  and  I  guessed  that  Curtin  had  retired  to 
satisfy  himself.  Nevertheless,  the  moment  which  fol- 
lowed was  an  anxious  one,  since,  if  my  random  shot 
missed,  I  knew  that  I  should  find  myself  in  a  worse 
position  than  before.  But  judging  — from  the  fact  that 
the  deputy  had  not  confronted  us  himself  —  that  he  was 
an  impostor,  to  whom  Gringuet's  illness  had  suggested 
the  scheme  on  which  I  had  myself  hit,  I  hoped  for  the 


FARMING    THE   TAXES.  237 

best  ;  and,  to  be  sure,  in  a  moment  an  outcry  arose  in 
the  house  and  quickly  spread.  Of  those  at  the  door, 
some  cried  to  their  fellows  to  hearken,  while  others 
hastened  off  to  see.  Yet  still  a  little  time  elapsed 
during  which  I  burned  with  impatience  ;  and  then  the 
crowd  came  trampling  back,  all  wrangling  and  speak- 
ing at  once. 

At  the  door  the  chattering  ceased,  and,  a  hand  being 
laid  on  the  bar,  in  a  moment  the  door  was  thrown  open, 
and  I  walked  out  with  what  dignity  I  might.  Outside, 
the  scene  which  met  my  eyes  might  have  been,  under 
other  circumstances,  diverting.  Before  me  stood  the 
landlord  of  the  inn,  bowing  with  a  light  in  each  hand, 
as  if  the  more  he  bent  his  backbone  the  more  he  must 
propitiate  me  ;  while  a  fat,  middle-aged  man  at  his  elbow, 
whom  I  took  to  be  Fonvelle,  smiled  feebly  at  me  with  a 
chapfallen  expression.  A  little  aside,  Curtin,  a  shrivelled 
old  fellow,  was  wringing  his  hands  over  his  loss  ;  and 
behind  and  round  these,  peeping  over  their  shoulders 
and  staring  under  their  arms,  clustered  a  curious  crowd 
of  busybodies,  who,  between  amusement  at  the  joke  and 
awe  of  the  great  men,  had  much  ado  to  control  their 
merriment. 

The  host  began  to  mutter  apologies,  but  I  cut  him 
short.  "I  will  talk  to  you  to-morrow!"  I  said,  in  a 
voice  which  made  him  shake  in  his  shoes.  "  Now  give 
me  supper,  lights,  and  a  room  —  and  hurry.  For  you, 
M.  de  Fonvelle,  you  are  an  ass  !  And  for  the  gentleman 
there,  who  has  filled  the  rogue's  purse,  he  will  do  well 
another  time  to  pay  the  King  his  dues ! " 


238      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

With  that  I  left  the  two  —  Fonvelle  purple  with 
indignation,  and  Curtin  with  eyes  and  mouth  agape  and 
tears  stayed  —  and  followed  my  host  to  his  best  room, 
Maignan  and  La  Trape  attending  me  with  very  grim 
faces.  Here  the  landlord  would  have  repeated  his 
apologies,  but  my  thoughts  beginning  to  revert  to  the 
purpose  which  had  brought  me  hither,  I  affected  to  be 
offended,  that,  by  keeping  all  at  a  distance,  I  might  the 
more  easily  preserve  my  character. 

I    succeeded   so   well   that,    though    half    the   town, 
through  which  the  news  of  my  adventure  had  spread,  as 
fire  spreads  in  tinder,  were  assembled  outside  the  inn  un- 
til a  late  hour,  no  one  was  admitted  to  see  me  ;  and  when 
I  made  my  appearance   next   morning  in  the   market- 
place and  took  my  seat,  with  my  two  attendants,  at  a 
table   by  the   corn-measures,    this    reserve    had    so  far 
impressed   the   people   that   the    smiles  which  greeted 
me  scarcely  exceeded  those  which  commonly  welcome  a 
tax-collector.     Some  had  paid,  and,  foreseeing  the  neces- 
sity of  paying  again,  found  little  that  was  diverting  in 
the  jest.     Others  thought  it  no  laughing  matter  to  pay 
once ;  and  a  few  had  come  as  ill  out  of  the  adventure  as 
I  had.     Under  these  circumstances,  we  quickly  settled 
to  work,  no  one   entertaining  the  slightest  suspicion  ; 
and  La  Trape,  who  could  accommodate  himself  to  any- 
thing, playing  the  part  of  clerk,  I  was  presently  receiv- 
ing money  and  hearing  excuses  ;  the  minute  acquaint- 
ance with  the  routine  of  the  finances,  which  I  had  made 
it    my  business    to    acquire,    rendering   the  work   easy 
to  me. 


FARMING    THE  TAXES.  239 

We  had  not  been  long  engaged,  however,  when  Fon- 
velle  put  in  an  appearance,  and  elbowing  the  peasants 
aside,  begged  to  speak  with  me  apart.  I  rose  and 
stepped  back  with  him  two  or  three  paces ;  on  which 
he  winked  at  me  in  a  very  knowing  fashion.  "  I  am 
M.  de  Fonvelle,"  he  said.     And  he  winked  again. 

"  Ah  !  "  I  said. 

"My  name  is  not  in  your  list." 

"  I  find  it  there,"  I  replied,  raising  a  hand  to  my  ear. 

"Tut,  tut!  you  do  not  understand,"  he  muttered. 
"Has  not  Gringuet  told  you  ?  " 

"  What  ? "  I  said,  pretending  to  be  a  little  deaf. 

"Has  not " 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  Has  not  Gringuet  told  you  ? "  he  repeated,  redden- 
ing with  anger ;  and  this  time  speaking,  on  compulsion, 
so  loudly  that  the  peasants  could  hear  him. 

I  answered  him  in  the  same  tone.  "Yes,"  I  said 
roundly.  "He  has  told  me,  of  course,  that  every  year 
you  give  him  two  hundred  livres  to  omit  your  name." 

He  glanced  behind  him  with  an  oath.  "  Man,  are  you 
mad?"  he  gasped,  his  jaw  falling.   "They  will  hear  you." 

"Yes,"  I  said  loudly,  "  I  mean  them  to  hear  me." 

I  do  not  know  what  he  thought  of  this  —  perhaps 
that  I  was  mad  —  but  he  staggered  back  from  me,  and 
looked  wildly  round.  Finding  every  one  laughing,  he 
looked  again  at  me,  but  still  failed  to  understand  ;  on 
which,  with  another  oath,  he  turned  on  his  heel,  and 
forcing  his  way  through  the  grinning  crowd,  was  out  of 
sight  in  a  moment. 


240 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


I  was  about  to  return  to  my  seat,  when  a  pursy,  pale- 
faced  man,  with  small  eyes  and  a  heavy  jowl,  whom  I 
had  before  noticed,  pushed  his  way  through  the  line  and 
came  to  me.  Though  his  neighbours  were  all  laughing 
he  was  sober,  and  in  a  moment  I  understood  why. 

"  I  am  very  deaf,"  he  said  in  a  whisper.  "  My  name, 
monsieur,  is  Philippon.     I  am  a " 

I  made  a  sign  to  him  that  I  could  not  hear. 

"  I  am  the  silk  merchant,"  he  continued  pretty 
audibly,  but  with  a  suspicious  glance  behind  him. 
"Probably  you    have " 

Again  I  signed  to  him  that  I  could  not  hear. 

"  You  have  heard  of  me  ?  " 

"  From  M.  Gringuet  ?  "  I  said  very  loudly. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  in  a  similar  tone  ;  for,  aware  that 
deaf  persons  cannot  hear  their  own  voices  and  are 
seldom  able  to  judge  how  loudly  they  are  speaking,  I 
had  led  him  to  this.  "  And  I  suppose  that  you  will  do 
as  he  did  ?  " 

"  How  ?  "  I  asked.     "  In  what  way  ?  " 

He  touched  his  pocket  with  a  stealthy  gesture,  unseen 
by  the  people  behind  him. 

Again  I  made  a  sign  as  if  I  could  not  hear. 

"Take  the  usual  little  gift  ?  "  he  said,  finding  himself 
compelled  to  speak. 

"  I  cannot  hear  a  word,"  I  bellowed.  By  this  time 
the  crowd  were  shaking  with  laughter. 

"  Accept  the  usual  gift  ?  "  he  said,  his  fat,  pale  face 
perspiring,  and  his  little  pig's  eyes  regarding  me 
balefully. 


Take  your  usual  little  gift. 


FARMING    THE   TAXES.  241 

"And  let  you  pay  one  quarter  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered. 

But  this,  and  the  simplicity  with  which  he  said  it, 
drew  so  loud  a  roar  of  laughter  from  the  crowd  as 
penetrated  even  to  his  dulled  senses.  Turning  abruptly, 
as  if  a  bee  had  stung  him,  he  found  the  place  convulsed 
with  merriment  ;  and  perceiving,  in  an  instant,  that  I 
had  played  upon  him,  though  he  could  not  understand 
how  or  why,  he  glared  about  him  a  moment,  muttered 
something  which  I  could  not  catch,  and  staggered  away 
with  the  gait  of  a  drunken  man. 

After  this,  it  was  useless  to  suppose  that  I  could 
amuse  myself  with  others.  The  crowd,  which  had  never 
dreamed  of  such  a  tax-collector,  and  could  scarcely 
believe  either  eyes  or  ears,  hesitated  to  come  forward 
even  to  pay ;  and  I  was  considering  what  I  should  do 
next,  when  a  commotion  in  one  corner  of  the  square 
drew  my  eyes  to  that  quarter.  I  looked  and  saw  at  first 
only  Curtin.  Then,  the  crowd  dividing  and  making 
way  for  him,  I  perceived  that  he  had  the  real  Gringuet 
with  him  —  Gringuet,  who  rode  through  the  market 
with  an  air  of  grim  majesty,  with  one  foot  in  a  huge 
slipper  and  eyes  glaring  with  ill-temper. 

Doubtless  Curtin,  going  to  him  on  the  chance  of 
hearing  something  of  the  rogue  who  had  cheated  him, 
had  apprised  the  tax-collector  of  the  whole  matter  ;  for 
on  seeing  me  in  my  chair  of  state,  he  merely  grinned  in 
a  vicious  way,  and  cried  to  the  nearest  not  to  let  me 
escape.  "  We  have  lost  one  rogue,  but  we  will  hang 
the  other,"   he  said.     And    while  the  townsfolk  stood 


242      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

dumbfounded  round  us,  he  slipped  with  a  groan  from 
his  horse,  and  bade  his  two  servants  seize  me. 

"  And  do  you,"  he  called  to  the  host,  "  see  that  you 
help,  my  man  !  You  have  harboured  him,  and  you  shall 
pay  for  it  if  he  escapes." 

With  that  he  hopped  a  step  nearer ;  and  then  not 
dreaming  of  resistance,  sank  with  another  groan — for 
his  foot  was  immensely  swollen  by  the  journey  —  into 
the  chair  from  which  I  had  risen. 

A  glance  showed  me  that,  if  I  would  not  be  drawn 
into  an  unseemly  brawl,  I  must  act ;  and  meeting 
Maignan's  eager  eye  fixed  upon  my  face,  I  nodded.  In 
a  second  he  seized  the  unsuspecting  Gringuet  by  the 
neck,  snatched  him  up  from  the  chair,  and  flung  him 
half-a-dozen  paces  away.  "  Lie  there,"  he  cried,  "you 
insolent  rascal !  Who  told  you  to  sit  before  your 
betters  ? " 

The  violence  of  the  action,  and  Maignan's  heat,  were 
such  that  the  nearest  drew  back  affrighted  ;  and  even 
Gringuet's  servants  recoiled,  while  the  market  people 
gasped  with  astonishment.  But  I  knew  that  the  respite 
would  last  a  moment  only,  and  I  stood  forward.  "  Ar- 
rest that  man,"  I  said,  pointing  to  the  collector,  who  was 
grovelling  on  the  ground,  nursing  his  foot  and  shrieking 
foul  threats  at  us. 

In  a  second  my  two  men  stood  over  him.  "  In  the 
King's  name,"  La  Trape  cried  ;  "let  no  man  interfere." 

"Raise  him  up,"  I  continued,  "and  set  him  before 
me  ;  and  Curtin  also,  and  Fonvelle,  and  Philippon  ;  and 
Lescaut,  the  corn-dealer,  if  he  is  here." 


FARMING   THE  TAXES.  2^ 

I  spoke  boldly,  but  I  felt  some  misgiving.  So  mighty, 
however,  is  the  habit  of  command,  that  the  crowd,  far 
from  resisting,  thrust  forward  the  men  I  named.  Still, 
I  could  not  count  on  this  obedience,  and  it  was  with 
pleasure  that  I  saw  at  this  moment,  as  I  looked  over 
the  heads  of  the  crowd,  a  body  of  horsemen  entering 
the  square.  They  halted  an  instant,  looking  at  the 
unusual  concourse  ;  while  the  townsfolk,  interrupted  in 
the  middle  of  the  drama,  knew  not  which  way  to  stare. 
Then  Boisrueil,  seeing  me,  and  that  I  was  holding  some 
sort  of  court,  spurred  his  horse  through  the  press,  and 
saluted  me. 

"  Let  half-a-dozen  of  your  varlets  dismount  and  guard 
these  men,"  I  said;  "and  do  you,  you  rogue,"  I  con- 
tinued, addressing  Gringuet,  "answer  me,  and  tell  me 
the  truth.  How  much  does  each  of  these  knaves  give 
you  to  cheat  the  King,  and  your  master  ?  Curtin  first. 
How  much  does  he  give  you  ? " 

"My  lord,"  he  answered,  pale  and  shaking,  yet  with 
a  mutinous  gleam  in  his  eyes,  "  I  have  a  right  to  know 
first  before  whom  I  stand." 

"Enough,"  I  thundered,  "that  it  is  before  one  who 
has  the  right  to  question  you  !  Answer  me,  villain,  and 
be  quick.     What  is  the  sum  of  Curtin's  bribe  ?  " 

He  stood  white  and  mute. 

"  Fonvelle's  ? " 

Still  he  stood  silent,  glaring  with  the  devil  in  his 
eyes ;  while  the  other  men  whimpered  and  protested 
their  innocence,  and  the  crowd  stared  as  if  they  could 
never  see  enough. 


244      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  Philippon's  ?  " 

"I  take  no  bribes,"  he  muttered. 

"  Lescaut's  ? " 

"Not  a  denier." 

"  Liar  !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  Liar,  who  devour  widows' 
houses  and  poor  men's  corn  !  Who  grind  the  weak  and 
say  it  is  the  King;  and  let  the  rich  go  free!  Answer 
me,  and  answer  the  truth.  How  much  do  these  men 
give  you  ?  " 

"  Nothing,"  he  said  defiantly. 

"Very  well,"  I  answered  ;  "then  I  will  have  the  list. 
It  is  in  your  shoe." 

"I  have  no  list,"  he  said,  beginning  to  tremble. 

"  It  is  in  your  shoe,"  I  repeated,  pointing  to  his  gouty 
foot.     "Maignan,  off  with  his  shoe,  and  look  in  it." 

Disregarding  his  shrieks  of  pain,  they  tore  it  off  and 
looked  in  it.     There  was  no  list. 

"Off  with  his  stocking,"  I  said  roundly.  "It  is 
there." 

He  flung  himself  down  at  that,  cursing  and  protest- 
ing by  turns.  But  I  remembered  the  trampled  corn, 
and  the  girl's  bleeding  face,  and  I  was  inexorable.  The 
stocking  was  drawn  off,  not  too  tenderly,  and  turned 
inside  out.     Still  no  list  was  found. 

"  He  has  it,"  I  persisted.  "  We  have  tried  the  shoe 
and  we  have  tried  the  stocking,  now  we  must  try  the 
foot.  Fetch  a  stirrup-leather,  and  do  you  hold  him  and 
let  one  of  the  grooms  give  him  a  dozen  on  that  foot." 

But  at  that  he  gave  way  ;  he  flung  himself  on  his 
knees,  screaming  for  mercy. 


FARMIXG    THE  TAXES. 


245 


"The  list!"  I  said. 

"I  have  no  list !  I  have  none!  "  he  wailed. 

"Then  give  it  me  out  of  your  head.  Curtin,  how 
much  ?  " 

He  glanced  at  the  man  I  named,  and  shivered,  and 
for  a  moment  was  silent.     But  one  of  the  grooms  ap- 


BUT  IN  A   MOMENT   ...   HE  WAS  TIED   UP 


proaching  with  the  stirrup-leather,  he  found  his  voice. 
"  Forty  crowns,"  he  muttered. 

"Fonvelle?" 

"The  same." 

I  made  him  confess  also  the  sums  which  he  had  re- 


246      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

ceived  from  Lescaut  and  Philippon,  and  then  the  names 
of  seven  others  who  had  been  in  the  habit  of  bribing 
him.  Satisfied  that  he  had  so  far  told  the  truth,  I  bade 
him  put  on  his  stocking  and  shoe.  "  And  now,"  I  said 
to  Boisrueil,  when  this  was  done,  "take  him  to  the 
whipping-post  there,  and  tie  him  up ;  and  see  that  each 
man  of  the  eleven  gives  him  a  stripe  for  every  crown 
with  which  he  has  bribed  him  —  and  good  ones,  or  I 
will  have  them  tied  up  in  his  place.  Do  you  hear,  you 
rascals  ?  "  I  continued  to  the  trembling  culprits.  "  Off, 
and  do  your  duty,  or  I  will  have  your  backs  bare." 

But  the  wretch,  as  cowardly  as  he  had  been  cruel, 
flung  himself  down  and  crawled,  sobbing  and  crying, 
to  my  feet.  I  had  no  mercy,  however.  "  Take  him 
away,"  I  said.  "  It  is  such  men  as  these  give  kings  a 
bad  name.     Take  him  away,  and  see  you  flay  him  well." 

He  sprang  up  then,  forgetting  his  gout,  and  made  a 
frantic  attempt  to  escape.  But  in  a  moment  he  was 
overcome,  hauled  away,  and  tied  up  ;  and  though  I  did 
not  wait  to  see  the  sentence  carried  out,  but  entered 
the  inn,  the  shrill  screams  he  uttered  under  the  punish- 
ment reached  me,  even  there,  and  satisfied  me  that 
Fonvelle  and  his  fellows  were  not  holding  their  hands. 

It  is  a  sad  reflection,  however,  that  for  one  such  sin- 
ner brought  to  justice  ten,  who  commit  the  same  crimes, 
go  free,  and  flourishing  on  iniquity,  bring  the  King's 
service,  and  his  officers,  into  evil  repute. 


THE  CAT  AND  THE   KING. 


X. 

THE  CAT  AND  THE  KING. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1609  tnat  at  tne 
King's  instance  I  had  a  suite  of  apartments  fitted  up  for 
him  at  the  Arsenal,  that  he  might  visit  me,  whenever  it 
pleased  him,  without  putting  my  family  to  inconvenience ; 
in  another  place  will  be  found  an  account  of  the  six. 
thousand  crowns  a  year  which  he  was  so  obliging  as  to 
allow  me  for  this  purpose.  He  honoured  me  by  using 
these  rooms,  which  consisted  of  a  hall,  a  chamber,  a 
wardrobe,  and  a  closet,  two  or  three  times  in  the  course 
of  that  year,  availing  himself  of  my  attendants  and 
cook  ;  and  the  free  opportunities  of  consulting  me  on  the 
Great  Undertaking,  which  this  plan  afforded,  led  me  to 
hope  that  notwithstanding  the  envy  of  my  detractors, 
he  would  continue  to  adopt  it.  That  he  did  not  do  so, 
nor  ever  visited  me  after  the  close  of  that  year,  was  due 
not  so  much  to  the  lamentable  event,  soon  to  be  related, 
which  within  a  few  months  deprived  France  of  her  great- 
est sovereign,  as  to  a  strange  matter  that  attended  his  last 
stay  with  me.  I  have  since  had  cause  to  think  that  this 
did  not  receive  at  the  time  as  much  attention  as  it 
deserved ;  and  have  even  imagined  that  had  I  groped  a 
little  deeper  into  the  mystery  I  might  have  found  a  clue 

249 


250      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

to  the  future  as  well  as  the  past,  and  averted  one  more, 
and  the  last,  danger  from  my  beloved  master.  But 
Providence  would  not  have  it  so  ;  a  slight  indisposition 
under  which  I  was  suffering  at  the  time  rendered  me  less 
able,  both  in  mind  and  body ;  the  result  being  that 
Henry,  who  was  always  averse  to  the  publication  of 
these  ominous  episodes,  and  held  that  being  known  they 
bred  the  like  in  mischievous  minds,  had  his  way,  the  case 
ending  in  no  more  than  the  punishment  of  a  careless 
rascal. 

On  the  occasion  of  this  last  visit  — the  third,  I  think, 
that  he  paid  me  —  the  King,  who  had  been  staying  at 
Chantilly,  came  to  me  from  Lusarche,  where  he  lay  the 
intervening  night.  My  coaches  went  to  meet  him  at 
the  gates  a  little  before  noon,  but  he  did  not  immediately 
arrive,  and  being  at  leisure  and  having  assured  myself 
that  the  dinner  of  twelve  covers,  which  he  had  directed 
to  be  ready,  was  in  course  of  preparation,  I  went  with 
my  wife  to  inspect  his  rooms  and  satisfy  myself  that 
everything  was  in  order. 

They  were  in  charge  of  La  Trape,  a  man  of  address 
and  intelligence,  whom  I  have  had  cause  to  mention 
more  than  once  in  the  course  of  these  memoirs.  He 
met  me  at  the  door  and  conducted  us  through  the  rooms 
with  an  air  of  satisfaction  ;  nor  could  I  find  the  slightest 
fault,  until  my  wife,  looking  about  her  with  a  woman's 
eye  for  minute  things,  paused  by  the  bed  in  the  chamber, 
and  directed  my  attention  to  something  on  the  floor. 

She  stooped  over  it.  "What  is  this  ?"  she  asked. 
"Has  something  been " 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING. 


251 


"  Upset  here?"  I  said,  looking  also.  There  was  a 
little  pool  of  white  liquid  on  the  floor  beside  the  bed. 

La  Trape  uttered  an  exclamation  of  annoyance,  and 
explained  that  he  had  not  seen  it  before  ;  that  it  had 
not  been  there  five  minutes  earlier  ;  and  that  he  did 
not  know  how  it  came  to  be  there  now. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  I  said,  looking  about  for  some  pitcher 
that  might  have  overflowed  ;  but  finding  none.  "  Is  it 
milk  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,    your    excellency,"     he     answered. 
''But  it   shall  be  removed  at  once." 

"See  that  it  is,"  I  said.  "Are  the  boughs  in  the 
fireplace  fresh  ?  "  For  the  weather  was  still  warm  and 
we  had  not  lit  a  fire. 

"  Yes,  your  excellency  ;  quite  fresh." 

"Well,  see  to  that,  and  remove  it,"  I  said,  pointing  to 
the  mess.     "  It  looks  ill." 

And  with  that  the  matter  passed  from  my  mind ;  the 
more  completely  as  I  heard  at  that  moment  the  sound 
of  the  King's  approach,  and  went  into  the  courtyard 
to  receive  him.  He  brought  him  Roquelaure,  de  Vic, 
Erard  the  engineer,  and  some  others,  but  none  whom 
he  did  not  know  that  I  should  be  glad  to  receive.  He 
dined  well,  and  after  dinner  amused  himself  with  seeing 
the  young  men  ride  at  the  ring,  and  even  rode  a  course 
himself  with  his  usual  skill ;  that  being,  if  I  remember 
rightly,  the  last  occasion  on  which  I  ever  saw  him  take 
a  lance.  Before  supper  he  walked  for  a  time  in  the  hall, 
with  Sillery,  for  whom  he  had  sent  ;  and  after  supper, 
pronouncing  himself  tired,  he  dismissed  all,  and  retired 


252      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

with  me  to  his  chamber.  Here  we  had  some  talk  on  a 
subject  that  I  greatly  dreaded  —  I  mean  his  infatuation 
for  Madame  de  Conde  ;  but  about  eleven  o'clock  he 
yawned,  and,  after  thanking  me  for  a  reception  which  he 
said  was  quite  to  his  mind,  he  bade  me  go  to  bed. 

I  was  half  way  to  the  door  when  he  called  me  back. 
"Why,  Grand  Master,"  he  said,  pointing  to  the  little 
table  by  the  head  of  the  bed  on  which  his  night  drinks 
stood,  "you  might  be  going  to  drown  me.  Do  you 
expect  me  to  drink  all  these  in  the  night  ? " 

"I  think  there  is  only  your  posset,  sire,"  I  said,  "and 
the  lemon-water  which  you  generally  drink." 

"  And  two  or  three  other  things  ?  " 

"Perhaps  they  have  given  your  Majesty  some  of  the 
Arbois  wine  that  you  were  good  enough  to " 

"  Tut-tut ! "  he  said,  lifting  the  cover  of  one  of  the 
cups.     "This  is  not  wine.     It  may  be  a  milk-posset." 

"Yes,  sire;  very  likely,"  I  said  drowsily. 

"  But  it  is  not ! "  he  answered,  when  he  had  smelled 
it.  "  It  is  plain  milk  !  Come,  my  friend,"  he  contin- 
ued, looking  drolly  at  me,  "  have  you  turned  leech,  or  I 
babe  in  arms,  that  you  put  such  strong  liquors  before 
me  ?  However,  to  show  you  that  I  have  some  childish 
tastes  left,  and  am  not  so  depraved  as  you  have  been 
trying  to  make  me  out  for  the  last  hour — I  will  drink 
your  health  in  it.  It  would  serve  you  right  if  I  made 
you  pledge  me  in  the  same  liquor  !  " 

The  cup  was  at  his  lips  when  I  sprang  forward  and, 
heedless  of  ceremony,  caught  his  arm.  "  Pardon,  sire  !  " 
I  cried,  in  sudden  agitation.     "If  that  is  milk,   I  gave 


THE  CAT  AND    THE   KING. 


253 


no  order  that  it  should  be  placed  here ;  and  I  know 
nothing  of  its  origin.  I  beg  that  you  will  not  drink  it 
until  I  have  made  some  inquiry." 

"  They  have  all  been  tasted  ?  "  he  asked,  still  holding 
the  cup  in  his  hand  with  the  lid  raised,  but  looking  at  it 
gravely. 

"They  should  have  been!"  I  answered.  "But  La 
Trape,  whom  I  made  answerable  for  that,  is  outside. 
I  will  go  and  question  him.  If  you  will  wait,  sire,  a 
moment " 

"No,"  Henry  said.     "  Have  him  here." 

I  gave  the  order  to  the  pages  who  were  waiting  out- 
side, and  in  a  moment  La  Trape  appeared,  looking 
startled  and  uncomfortable.  Naturally,  his  first  glance 
was  given  to  the  King,  who  had  taken  his  seat  on  the 
edge  of  the  bed,  but  still  held  the  cup  in  his  hand. 
After  asking  the  King's  permission,  I  said,  "  What 
drinks  did  you  place  on  the  table,  here,  sirrah  ?  " 

He  looked  more  uncomfortable  at  this,  but  he  an- 
swered boldly  enough  that  he  had  served  a  posset,  some 
lemon-water,  and  some  milk. 

"But  orders  were  given  only  for  the  lemon-water  and 
the  posset,"  I  said. 

"  True,  your  excellency,"  he  answered.  "  But  when 
I  went  to  the  pantry  hatch,  to  see  the  under-butler  carry 
up  the  tray,  I  found  that  the  milk  was  on  the  tray ;  and 
I  supposed  that  you  had  given  another  order." 

"Possibly  Madame  de  Sully,"  the  King  said,  looking 
at  me,  "gave  the  order  to  add  it  ?  " 

"  She  would  not  presume  to  do  so,  sire,"  I  answered 


254      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

sternly.  "  Nor  do  I  in  the  least  understand  the  matter. 
But  at  one  thing  we  can  easily  arrive.  You  tasted  all 
of  these,  man  ?  " 

La  Trape  said  he  had. 

"  You  drank  a  quantity,  a  substantial  quantity  of  each 

—  according  to  the  orders  given  to  you  ?  "  I  persisted. 
"Yes,  your  excellency." 

But  I  caught  a  guilty  look  in  his  eyes,  and  in  a  gust 
of  rage  I  cried  out  that  he  lied.  "The  truth  !  "  I  thun- 
dered, in  a  terrible  voice.  "  The  truth,  you  villain  ;  you 
did  not  taste  all  ?  " 

"  I  did,  your  excellency  ;  as  God  is  above,  I  did  ! "  he 
answered.  But  he  had  grown  pale,  and  he  looked  at  the 
King  in  a  terrified  way. 

"You  did?" 

"Yes!" 

Yet  I  did  not  believe  him,  and  I  was  about  to  give 
him  the  lie  again,  when  the  King  intervened.  "  Quite 
so,"  he  said  to  La  Trape  with  a  smile.  "You  drank, 
my  good  fellow,  of  the  posset  and  the  lemon-water,  and 
you  tasted  the  milk,  but  you  did  not  drink  of  it.  Is  not 
that  the  whole  truth  ?  " 

"Yes,  sire,"  he  whimpered,  breaking  down.     "But  I 

—  I  gave  some  to  a  cat." 

"  And  the  cat  is  no  worse  ?" 

"No,  sire." 

"  There,  Grand  Master,"  the  King  said,  turning  to  me, 
"  that  is  the  truth,  I  think.     What  do  you  say  to  it  ?  " 

"That  the  rest  is  simple,"  I  answered  grimly.  "He 
did  not  drink  it  before ;  but  he  will  drink  it  now,  sire." 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING. 


255 


The  King,  sitting  on  the  bed,  laughed  and  looked  at 
La  Trape  ;  as  if  his  good-nature  almost  led  him  to  inter- 
pose. But  after  a  moment's  hesitation  he  thought  better 
of  it,  and  handed  me  the  cup.  "Very  well,"  he  said; 
"  he  is  your  man.  Have  your  way  with  him.  After  all, 
he  should  have  drunk  it." 

"  He  shall  drink  it  now,  or  be 
broken  on  the  wheel ! "  I  said. 
"Do  you  hear,  you?"  I  continued, 
turning  to  him  in  a  white  heat  of 
rage  at  the  thought  of  his  negli- 
gence, and  the  price  it  might  have 
cost  me.  "  Take  it,  and  beware 
that  you  do  not  drop  or  spill  it. 
For  I  swear  that  that  shall  not 
save  you  !  " 

He  took  the  cup  with  a  pale  face, 
and  hands  that  shook  so  much  that 
he  needed  both  to  support  the  ves- 
sel. He  hesitated,  too,  so  long 
that,  had  I  not  possessed  the  best 
of  reasons  for  believing  in  his 
fidelity,  I  should  have  suspected 
him  of  more  than  negligence.    The 

shadow  of  his  tall  figure  seemed  to  waver  on  the  tapes- 
try behind  him  ;  and  with  a  little  imagination  I  might 
have  thought  that  the  lights  in  the  room  had  sunk.  The 
soft  whispering  of  the  pages  outside  could  be  heard,  and 
a  stifled  laugh  ;  but  inside  there  was  not  a  sound.  He 
carried  the  cup  to  his  lips ;  then  he  lowered  it  again. 


HE  TOOK  THE  CUP   WITH 
A  PALE   FACE 


256      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

I  took  a  step  forward. 

He  recoiled  a  pace,  his  face  ghastly.  "  Patience, 
excellency,"  he  said  hoarsely.  "I  shall  drink  it.  But 
I  want  to  speak  first." 

"  Speak  !  "  the  King  answered. 

"  If  there  is  death  in  it,  I  take  God  to  witness  that 
I  know  nothing,  and  knew  nothing !  There  is  some 
witch's  work  here  —  it  is  not  the  first  time  that  I  have 
come  across  this  devil's  milk  to-day !  But  I  take  God 
to  witness  I  know  nothing  !  Now  it  is  here  I  will  drink 
it,  and " 

He  did  not  finish  the  sentence,  but  drawing  a  deep 
breath  raised  the  cup  to  his  lips.  I  saw  the  apple  in  his 
throat  rise  and  fall  with  the  effort  he  made  to  swallow, 
but  he  drank  so  slowly  that  it  seemed  to  me  that  he 
would  never  drain  the  cup.  Nor  did  he,  for  when  he 
had  swallowed,  as  far  as  I  could  judge  from  the  tilting 
of  the  cup,  about  half  of  the  milk,  Henry  rose  suddenly 
and,  seizing  it,  took  it  from  him  with  his  own  hand. 

"  That  will  do,"  the  King  said.     "  Do  you  feel  ill  ?  " 

La  Trape  drew  a  trembling  hand  across  his  brow,  on 
which  the  sweat  stood  in  beads ;  but  instead  of  answer- 
ing he  remained  silent,  gazing  fixedly  before  him.  We 
waited  and  watched,  and  at  length,  when  I  should  think 
three  minutes  had  elapsed,  he  changed  his  position  for 
one  of  greater  ease,  and  I  saw  his  face  relax.  The 
unnatural  pallor  faded,  and  the  open  lips  closed.  A 
minute  later  he  spoke.      "  I  feel  nothing,  sire,"  he  said. 

The  King  looked  at  me  drolly.  "Then  take  five 
minutes    more,"  he   said.     "  Go,    and    stare   at   Judith 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING.  2$7 

there,  cutting  off  the  head  of  Holofernes  "  —  for  that 
was  the  story  of  the  tapestry  —  "and  come  when  I  call 
you." 

La  Trape  went  to  the  other  end  of  the  chamber. 
"Well,"  the  King  said,  inviting  me  by  a  sign  to  sit 
down  beside  him,  "is  it  a  comedy  or  a  tragedy,  my 
friend  ?  Or,  tell  me,  what  was  it  he  meant  when  he  said 
that  about  the  other  milk  ?  " 

I  explained,  the  matter  seeming  so  trivial  now  that  I 
came  to  tell  it  —  though  it  had  doubtless  contributed 
much  to  La  Trape's  fright  —  that  I  had  to  apologize. 

"  Still  it  is  odd,"  the  King  said.  "  These  drinks  were 
not  here,  at  that  time,  of  course  ? " 

"  No,  sire ;  they  have  been  brought  up  within  the 
hour." 

"Well,  your  butler  must  explain  it."  And  with  that 
he  raised  his  voice  and  called  La  Trape  back ;  who 
came,  looking  red  and  sheepish. 

"  Not  dead  yet  ? "  the  King  said. 

"No,  sire." 

"Nor  ill?" 

"No,  sire." 

"Then  begone.  Or,  stay!"  Henry  continued. 
"Throw  the  rest  of  this  stuff  into  the  fireplace.  It 
may  be  harmless,  but  I  have  no  mind  to  drink  it  by 
mistake." 

La  Trape  emptied  the  cup  among  the  green  boughs 

that  filled  the  hearth,  and    hastened   to  withdraw.     It 

seemed  to  be  too  late  to  make  further   inquiries    that 

night ;  so  after  listening  to  two  or  three  explanations 

s 


258      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

which  the  King  hazarded,  but  which  had  all  too  fanci- 
ful an  air  in  my  eyes,  I  took  my  leave  and  retired. 

Whether,  however,  the  scene  had  raised  too  violent  a 
commotion  in  my  mind,  or  I  was  already  sickening  for 
the  illness  I  have  mentioned,  I  found  it  impossible  to 
sleep  ;  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  night  in  a  fever 
of  fears  and  forebodings.  The  responsibility  which  the 
King's  presence  cast  upon  me  lay  so  heavily  upon  my 
waking  mind  that  I  could  not  lie ;  and  long  before  the 
King's  usual  hour  of  rising  I  was  at  his  door  inquiring 
how  he  did.  No  one  knew,  for  the  page  whose  turn  it 
was  to  sleep  at  his  feet  had  not  come  out ;  but  while  I 
stood  questioning,  the  King's  voice  was  heard,  bidding 
me  enter.  I  went  in,  and  found  him  sitting  up  with  a 
haggard  face,  which  told  me,  before  he  spoke,  that  he 
had  slept  little  better  than  I  had.  The  shutters  were 
thrown  wide  open,  and  the  cold  morning  light  poured 
into  the  room  with  an  effect  rather  sombre  than  bright ; 
the  huge  figures  on  the  tapestry  looming  huger  from  a 
drab  and  melancholy  background,  and  the  chamber  pre- 
senting all  those  features  of  disorder  that  in  a  sleeping- 
room  lie  hid  at  night,  only  to  show  themselves  in  a  more 
vivid  shape  in  the  morning. 

The  King  sent  his  page  out,  and  bade  me  sit  by  him. 
"  I  have  had  a  bad  night,"  he  said,  with  a  shudder. 
"  Grand  Master,  I  doubt  that  astrologer  was  right,  and 
I  shall  never  see  Germany,  nor  carry  out  my  designs." 

Seeing  the  state  in  which  he  was  I  could  think  of 
nothing  better  than  to  rally  him,  and  even  laugh  at  him. 
"You  think  so  now,  sire,"  I  said.     "It  is  the  cold  hour. 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING.  259 

By  and  by,  when  you  have  broken  your  fast,  you  will 
think  differently." 

"But,  it  may  be,  less  correctly,"  he  answered;  and 
as  he  sat  looking  before  him  with  gloomy  eyes,  he 
heaved  a  deep  sigh.  "My  friend,"  he  said  mournfully, 
"  I  want  to  live,  and  I  am  going  to  die." 

"  Of  what  ?  "  I  asked  gaily. 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  but  I  dreamed  last  night  that  a 
house  fell  on  me  in  the  Rue  de  la  Ferronerie,  and  I 
cannot  help  thinking  that  I  shall  die  in  that  way." 

"Very  well,"  I  said.      "  It  is  well  to  know  that." 

He  asked  me  peevishly  what  I  meant. 

"Only,"  I  explained,  "that,  in  that  case,  as  your 
Majesty  need  never  pass  through  that  street,  you  have 
it  in  your  hands  to  live  for  ever." 

"Perhaps  it  may  not  happen  there — in  that  very 
street,"  he  answered. 

"And  perhaps  it  may  not  happen  yet,"  I  rejoined. 
And  then,  more  seriously,  "Come,  sire,"  I  continued, 
"why  this  sudden  weakness  ?  I  have  known  you  face 
death  a  hundred  times." 

"  But  not  after  such  a  dream  as  I  had  last  night," 
he  said,  with  a  grimace  —  yet  I  could  see  that  he  was 
already  comforted.  "  I  thought  that  I  was  passing 
along  that  street  in  my  coach,  and  on  a  sudden,  be- 
tween St.  Innocent's  church  and  the  notary's  —  there 
is  a  notary's  there  ?" 

"  Yes,  sire,"  I  said,  somewhat  surprised. 

"  I  heard  a  great  roar,  and  something  struck  me 
down,  and    I   found    myself   pinned   to   the  ground   in 


260      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

darkness,  with  my  mouth  full  of  dust,  and  an  immense 
beam  on  my  chest.  I  lay  for  a  time  in  agony,  fight- 
ing for  breath,  and  then  my  brain  seemed  to  burst  in 
my  head,  and  I  awoke." 

"I  have  had  such  a  dream,  sire,"  I  said  drily. 

"Last  night?" 

"No,"  I  said,  "not  last  night." 

He  saw  what  I  meant,  and  laughed  ;  and  being  by 
this  time  quite  himself,  left  that  and  passed  to  dis- 
cussing the  strange  affair  of  La  Trape  and  the  milk. 
"  Have  you  found,  as  yet,  who  was  good  enough  to 
supply  it?"  he  asked. 

"No,  sire,"  I  answered.  "But  I  will  see  La  Trape, 
and  as  soon  as  I  have  learned  anything,  your  Majesty 
shall  know  it." 

"I  suppose  he  is  not  far  off  now,"  he  suggested. 
"  Send  for  him.  Ten  to  one  he  will  have  made  in- 
quiries, and  it  will  amuse  us." 

I  went  to  the  door  and,  opening  it  a  trifle,  bade  the 
page  who  waited  send  La  Trape.  He  passed  on  the 
message  to  a  crowd  of  sleepy  attendants,  and  quickly, 
but  not  before  I  had  gone  back  to  the  King's  bedside, 
La  Trape  entered. 

Having  my  eyes  turned  the  other  way,  I  did  not  at 
once  remark  anything.  But  the  King  did  ;  and  his  look 
of  astonishment,  no  less  than  the  exclamation  which  ac- 
companied it,  arrested  my  attention.  "  St.  Gris,  man  !  " 
he  cried.     "  What  is  the  matter  ?     Speak !  " 

La  Trape,  who  had  stopped  just  within  the  door, 
made  an  effort  to  do  so,  but  no  sound  passed  his  lips ; 


THE  CAT  AND   THE  KING.  26l 

while  his  pallor  and  the  fixed  glare  of  his  eyes  filled 
me  with  the  worst  apprehensions.  It  was  impossible 
to  look  at  him  and  not  share  his  fright,  and  I  stepped 
forward  and  cried  out  to  him  to  speak.  "  Answer  the 
King,  man,"  I  said.     "  What  is  it  ?  " 

He  made  an  effort,  and  with  a  ghastly  grimace,  "The 
cat  is  dead!  "  he  said. 

For  a  moment  we  were  all  silent.  Then  I  looked  at 
the  King,  and  he  at  me,  with  gloomy  meaning  in  our 
eyes.  He  was  the  first  to  speak.  "  The  cat  to  whom 
you  gave  the  milk  ?  "  he  said. 

"Yes,  sire,"  La  Trape  answered,  in  a  voice  that 
seemed  to  come  from  his  heart. 

"But  still,  courage!"  the  King  cried.  "Courage, 
man !  A  dose  that  would  kill  a  cat  may  not  kill  a  man. 
Do  you  feel  ill?" 

"Oh,  yes,  sire,"  La  Trape  moaned. 

"What  do  you  feel?" 

"I  have  a  trembling  in  all  my  limbs,  and  ah  —  ah, 
my  God,  I  am  a  dead  man  !  I  have  a  burning  here  —  a 
pain  like  hot  coals  in  my  vitals  !  "  And,  leaning  against 
the  wall,  the  unfortunate  man  clasped  his  arms  round 
his  body  and  bent  himself  up  and  down  in  a  paroxysm 
of  suffering. 

"A  doctor!  a  doctor!"  Henry  cried,  thrusting  one 
leg  out  of  bed.  "  Send  for  Du  Laurens  !  "  Then,  as  I 
went  to  the  door  to  do  so,  "  Can  you  be  sick,  man  ? "  he 
asked.      "  Try  !  " 

"  No,  no  ;  it  is  impossible  !  " 

"  But  try,  try !     When  did  this  cat  die  ?  " 


262      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  It  is  outside,"  La  Trape  groaned.  He  could  say  no 
more. 

I  had  opened  the  door  by  this  time,  and  found  the 
attendants,  whom  the  man's  cries  had  alarmed,  in  a 
cluster  round  it.  Silencing  them  sternly,  I  bade  one 
go  for  M.  Du  Laurens,  the  King's  physician,  while 
another  brought  me  the  cat  that  was  dead. 

The  page  who  had  spent  the  night  in  the  King's 
chamber,  fetched  it.  I  told  him  to  bring  it  in,  and 
ordering  the  others  to  let  the  doctor  pass  when  he 
arrived,  I  closed  the  door  upon  their  curiosity,  and  went 
back  to  the  King.  He  had  left  his  bed  and  was  stand- 
ing near  La  Trape,  endeavouring  to  hearten  him  ;  now 
telling  him  to  tickle  his  throat  with  a  feather,  and  now 
watching  his  sufferings  in  silence,  with  a  face  of  gloom 
and  despondency  that  sufficiently  betrayed  his  reflec- 
tions. At  sight  of  the  page,  however,  carrying  the 
dead  cat,  he  turned  briskly,  and  we  both  examined  the 
beast  which,  already  rigid,  with  staring  eyes  and  uncov- 
ered teeth,  was  not  a  sight  to  cheer  any  one,  much  less 
the  stricken  man.  La  Trape,  however,  seemed  to  be 
scarcely  aware  of  its  presence.  He  had  sunk  upon  a 
chest  which  stood  against  the  wall,  and,  with  his  body 
strangely  twisted,  was  muttering  prayers,  while  he 
rocked  himself  to  and  fro  unceasingly. 

"It's  stiff,"  the  King  said  in  a  low  voice.     "It  has 
been  dead  some  hours." 

"  Since  midnight,"  I  muttered. 

"  Pardon,  sire,"  the  page,  who  was  holding  the  cat, 
said  ;  "  I  saw  it  after  midnight.     It  was  alive  then." 


At  the  sight  of  the  page. 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING.  263 

"  You  saw  it !  "  I  exclaimed.     "  How  ?     Where  ?  " 
"  Here,  your  excellency,"  the  boy  answered,  quailing 
a  little. 

"  What  ?     In  this  room  ?  " 

"Yes,  excellency.  I  heard  a  noise  about  —  I  think 
about  two  o'clock  —  and  his  Majesty  breathing  very 
heavily.  It  was  a  noise  like  a  cat  spitting.  It  fright- 
ened me,  and  I  rose  from  my  pallet  and  went  round  the 
bed.  I  was  just  in  time  to  see  the  cat  jump  down." 
"  From  the  bed  ?  " 

"Yes,  your  excellency.  From  his  Majesty's  chest,  I 
think." 

"And  you  are  sure  that  it  was  this  cat  ?  " 
"  Yes,  sire ;  for  as  soon  as  it  was  on  the  floor  it 
began  to  writhe  and  roll  and  bite  itself,  with  all  its 
fur  on  end,  like  a  mad  cat.  Then  it  flew  to  the  door 
and  tried  to  get  out,  and  again  began  to  spit  furiously. 
I  thought  that  it  would  awaken  the  King,  and  I  let 
it  out." 

"And  then  the  King  did  awake  ?  " 
"He  was  just  awaking,  your  excellency." 
"  Well,  sire,"  I  said,  smiling,  "  this  accounts,  I  think, 
for  your  dream  of  the  house  that  fell,  and  the  beam  that 
lay  on  your  chest." 

It  would  have  been  difficult  to  say  whether  at  this  the 
King  looked  more  foolish  or  more  relieved.  Whichever 
the  sentiment  he  entertained,  however,  it  was  quickly 
cut  short  by  a  lamentable  cry  that  drove  the  blood  from 
our  cheeks.  La  Trape  was  in  another  paroxysm.  "  Oh, 
the  poor  man  !  "   Henry  cried. 


264      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  I  suppose  that  the  cat  came  in  unseen,"  I  said, 
"with  him  last  night,  and  then  stayed  in  the  room  ? " 

"Doubtless." 

"And  was  seized  with  a  paroxysm  here  ?  " 

"Such  as  he  has  now!"  Henry  answered;  for  La 
Trape  had  fallen  to  the  floor.  "  Such  as  he  has  now  !  " 
he  repeated,  his  eyes  flaming,  his  face  pale.  "Oh, 
my  friend,  this  is  too  much.  Those  who  do  these 
things  are  devils,  not  men.  Where  is  Du  Laurens  ? 
Where  is  the  doctor  ?     He  will  perish  before  our  eyes." 

"  Patience,  sire,"  I  said.     "  He  will  come." 

"But  in  the  meantime  the  man  dies." 

"  No,  no,"  I  said,  going  to  La  Trape,  and  touching  his 
hand.  "Yet,  he  is  very  cold."  And  turning,  I  sent 
the  page  to  hasten  the  doctor.  Then  I  begged  the 
King  to  allow  me  to  have  the  man  conveyed  into 
another  room.  "His  sufferings  distress  you,  sire,  and 
you  do  him  no  good,"  I  said. 

"  No,  he  shall  not  go  ! "  he  answered.  "  Ventre 
Saint  Gris  !  man,  he  is  dying  for  me  !  He  is  dying  in 
my  place.     He  shall  die  here." 

Still  ill  satisfied,  I  was  about  to  press  him  farther, 
when  La  Trape  raised  his  voice,  and  feebly  asked  for 
me.  A  page  who  had  taken  the  other's  place  was 
supporting  his  head,  and  two  or  three  of  my  gentlemen, 
who  had  come  in  unbidden,  were  looking  on  with  scared 
faces.  I  went  to  the  poor  fellow's  side,  and  asked  what 
I  could  do  for  him. 

"  I  am  dying  !  "  he  muttered,  turning  up  his  eyes. 
"  The  doctor  !  the  doctor  !  " 


THE  CAT  AND    THE  KING.  265 

I  feared  that  he  was  passing,  but  I  bade  him  have 
courage.  "  In  a  moment  he  will  be  here,"  I  said ; 
while  the  King  in  distraction  sent  messenger  on  mes- 


"  He  will  come  too  late,"  the  sinking  man  answered. 
"  Excellency  ? " 

"  Yes,  my  good  fellow,"  I  said,  stooping  that  I  might 
hear  him  the  better. 

"  I  took  ten  pistoles  yesterday  from  a  man  to  get 
him  a  scullion's  place  ;  and  there  is  none  vacant." 

"  It  is  forgiven,"  I  said,  to  soothe  him. 

"  And  your  excellency's  favourite  hound,  Diane,"  he 
gasped.  "  She  had  three  puppies,  not  two.  I  sold  the 
other." 

"Well,  it  is  forgiven,  my  friend.  It  is  forgiven.  Be 
easy,"  I  said  kindly. 

"Ah,  I  have  been  a  villain,"  he  groaned.  "I  have 
lived  loosely.  Only  last  night  I  kissed  the  butler's 
wench,  and " 

"  Be  easy,  be  easy,"  I  said.  "  Here  is  the  doctor. 
He  will  save  you  yet." 

And  I  made  way  for  M.  Du  Laurens,  who,  having 
saluted  the  King,  knelt  down  by  the  sick  man,  and  felt 
his  pulse  ;  while  we  all  stood  round,  looking  down  on 
the  two  with  grave  faces.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the 
man's  eyes  were  growing  dim,  and  I  had  little  hope. 
The  King  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence.  "  You 
have  hope  ?  "  he  said.     "  You  can  save  him  ?  " 

"  Pardon,  sire,  a  moment,"  the  physician  answered, 
rising  from  his  knees.      "  Where  is  the  cat  ?  " 


266      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

Some  one  brought  it,  and  M.  Du  Laurens,  after  look- 
ing at  it,  said  curtly,  "  It  has  been  poisoned." 

La  Trape  uttered  a  groan  of  despair.  "  At  what 
hour  did  it  take  the  milk  ?  "  the  physician  asked. 

"  A  little  before  ten  last  evening,"  I  said,  seeing  that 
La  Trape  was  too  far  gone  for  speech. 

"  Ah  !     And  the  man  ?  " 

"  An  hour  later." 

Du  Laurens  shook  his  head,  and  was  preparing  to  lay 
down  the  cat  which  he  had  taken  in  his  hands,  when 
some  appearance  led  him  to  examine  it  again  and  more 
closely.  "  Why  what  is  this  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  tone 
of  surprise,  as  he  took  the  body  to  the  window.  "  There 
is  a  large  swelling  under  its  chin." 

No  one  answered. 

"  Give  me  a  pair  of  scissors,"  he  continued  ;  and  then 
after  a  minute,  when  they  had  been  handed  to  him,  and 
he  had  removed  the  fur,  "Ha  !  "  he  said  gravely,  "this 
is  not  so  simple  as  I  thought.  The  cat  has  been 
poisoned,  but  by  a  prick  with  some  sharp  instrument." 

The  King  uttered  an  exclamation  of  incredulity. 
"But  it  drank  the  milk,"  he  said.  "Some  milk 
that " 

"  Pardon,  sire,"  Du  Laurens  answered  positively.  "  A 
draught  of  milk  however  drugged,  does  not  produce  an 
external  swelling  with  a  small  blue  puncture  in  the 
middle." 

"  What  does  ?  "  the  King  asked,  with  something  like 
a  sneer. 

"Ah,  that  is  the  question,"  the  physician  answered. 


THE  CAT  AND   THE  KING.  267 

"  A  ring,  perhaps,  with   a  poison-chamber   and    hollow 
dart." 

"But  there  is  no  question  of  that  here,"  I  said. 
"  Let  us  be  clear.  Do  you  say  that  the  cat  did  not  die 
of  the  milk  ?  " 

"I  see  no  proof  that  it  did,"  he  answered.  "And 
many  things  to  show  that  it  died  of  poison  administered 
by  puncture." 

"But  then,"  I  answered,  in  no  little  confusion  of 
thought,  "what  of  La  Trape  ?  " 

He  turned,  and  with  him  all  eyes,  to  the  unfortunate 
equerry,  who  still  lay  seemingly  moribund,  with  his 
head  propped  on  some  cushions.  M.  Du  Laurens  ad- 
vanced to  him  and  again  felt  his  pulse,  an  operation 
which  appeared  to  bring  a  slight  tinge  of  colour  to  the 
fading  cheeks.  "How  much  milk  did  he  drink?"  the 
physician  asked  after  a  pause. 

"More  than  half  a  pint,"  I  answered. 

"  And  what  besides  ?  " 

"  A  quantity  of  the  King's  posset,  and  a  little  lemon- 
ade." 

"  And  for  supper  ?  What  did  you  have  ?  "  the  leech 
continued,  addressing  himself  to  his  patient. 

"I  had  some  wine,"  he  answered  feebly.  "And  a 
little  Frontignac  with  the  butler ;  and  some  honey-mead 
that  the  gipsy-wench  gave  me." 

"  The  gipsy-wench  ?  " 

"The  butler's  girl,  of  whom  I  spoke." 

M.  Du  Laurens  rose  slowly  to  his  feet,  and,  to  my 
amazement,  dealt  the  prostrate  man  a  hearty  kick  ;  bid- 


268       MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

ding  him  at  the  same  time  to  rise.  "  Get  up,  fool !  Get 
up,"  he  continued  harshly,  yet  with  a  ring  of  triumph 
in  his  voice,  "all  you  have  got  is  the  colic,  and  it  is  no 
more  than  you  deserve.  Get  up,  I  say,  and  beg  his 
Majesty's  pardon  !  " 

"  But,"  the  King  remonstrated  in  a  tone  of  anger, 
"the  man  is  dying  !  " 

"He  is  no  more  dying  than  you  are,  sire,"  the  other 
answered.  "  Or,  if  he  is,  it  is  of  fright.  There,  he 
can  stand  as  well  as  you  or  I  !  " 

And  to  be  sure,  as  he  spoke,  La  Trape  scrambled  to 
his  feet,  and  with  a  mien  between  shame  and  doubt 
stood  staring  at  us,  the  very  picture  of  a  simpleton.  It 
was  no  wonder  that  his  jaw  fell  and  his  impudent  face 
burned ;  for  the  room  shook  with  such  a  roar  of  laugh- 
ter, at  first  low,  and  then  as  the  King  joined  in  it,  swell- 
ing louder  and  louder,  as  few  of  us  had  ever  heard. 
Though  I  was  not  a  little  mortified  by  the  way  in  which 
we  had  deceived  ourselves,  I  could  not  help  joining  in 
the  laugh  ;  particularly  as  the  more  closely  we  reviewed 
the  scene  in  which  we  had  taken  part,  the  more  absurd 
seemed  the  jest.  It  was  long  before  silence  could  be 
obtained  ;  but  at  length  Henry,  quite  exhausted  by  the 
violence  of  his  mirth,  held  up  his  hand.  I  seized  the 
opportunity. 

"Why,  you   rascal!"     I  said,  addressing  La  Trape, 
who  did  not  know  which  way  to  look,  "where  are  the 
ten  crowns  of  which  you  defrauded  the  scullion  ? " 
"To  be  sure,"  the  King  said,  going  off  into  another 
And  the  third  puppy  ?  " 


THE  CAT  AND   THE  KING.  269 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "you  scoundrel;  and  the  third 
puppy?" 

"  Ay,  and  the  gipsy  girl  ? "  the  King  continued. 
"  The  butler's  wench,  what  of  her  ?  And  of  your  evil 
living  ?  Begone,  begone,  rascal !  "  he  continued,  falling 
into  a  fresh  paroxysm,  "or  you  will  kill  ks  in  earnest. 
Would  nothing  else  do  for  you  but  to  die  in  my  cham- 
ber ?     Begone!" 

I  took  this  as  a  hint  to  clear  the  room,  not  only  of 
La  Trape  himself  but  of  all ;  and  presently  only  I  and 
Du  Laurens  remained  with  the  King.  It  then  appeared 
that  there  was  still  a  mystery,  and  one  which  it  behoved 
us  to  clear  up  ;  inasmuch  as  Du  Laurens  took  the  cat's 
death  very  seriously,  insisting  that  it  had  died  of  poison 
administered  in  a  most  sinister  fashion,  and  one  that 
could  not  fail  to  recall  to  our  minds  the  Borgian  popes. 
It  needed  no  more  than  this  to  direct  my  suspicions  to  the 
Florentines  who  swarmed  about  the  Queen,  and  against 
whom  the  King  had  let  drop  so  many  threats.  But  the 
indisposition  which  excitement  had  for  a  time  kept  at 
bay  began  to  return  upon  me  ;  and  I  was  presently  glad 
to  drop  the  subject  and  retire  to  my  own  apartments, 
leaving  the  King  to  dress. 

Consequently,  I  was  not  with  him  when  the  strange 
discovery  which  followed  was  made.  In  the  ordinary 
course  of  dressing,  one  of  the  servants  going  to  the  fire- 
place to  throw  away  a  piece  of  waste  linen,  thought 
that  he  heard  a  rat  stir  among  the  boughs.  He  moved 
them,  and  in  a  moment  a  small  snake  crawled  out,  hiss- 
ing and  darting  out  its  tongue.     It  was  killed,  and  then 


270      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE 

it  at  once  occurred  to  the  King  that  he  had  the  secret 
of  the  cat's  death.  He  came  to  me  hot-foot  with  the 
news,  and  found  me  with  Du  Laurens,  who  was  in  the 
act  of  ordering:  me  to  bed. 


A  SMALL  SNAKE  CRAWLED  OUT 


I  confess  that  I  heard  the  story  almost  with  apathy, 
so  ill  was  I.  Not  so  the  physician.  After  examining 
the  snake  which  by  the  King's  orders  had  been  brought 


THE  CAT  AND   THE  KING.  2yi 

for  my  inspection,  he  pronounced  that  it  was  not  of 
French  origin.  "  It  has  escaped  from  some  snake- 
charmer,"  he  said. 

The  King  seemed  to  be  incredulous. 

"  I  assure  you  that  I  speak  the  truth,  sire,"  Du  Lau- 
rens persisted. 

"  But  how  then  did  it  come  in  my  room  ? " 

"  That  is  what  I  should  like  to  know,  sire,"  the 
physician  answered  severely  ;  "  and  yet  I  think  that  I 
can  guess.  It  was  put  there,  I  fancy,  by  the  person 
who  sent  up  the  milk  to  your  chamber." 

"  Why  do  you  say  so  ?  "     Henry  asked. 

"Because,  sire,  all  snakes  are  inordinately  fond  of  milk." 

"Ah!  "  the  King  said  slowly,  with  a  change  of  coun- 
tenance and  a  shudder  which  he  could  not  repress; 
"and  there  was  milk  on  the  floor  in  the  morning." 

"  Yes,  sire  ;  on  the  floor,  and  beside  the  head  of  your 
bed." 

But  at  this  stage  I  was  attacked  by  a  fit  of  illness  so 
severe  that  I  had  to  break  in  on  the  discussion,  and  beg 
the  Kins:  to  withdraw.  The  sickness  increased  on  me 
during  the  day,  and  by  noon  I  was  prostrate,  neither 
taking  interest  in  anything,  nor  allowing  others,  who 
began  to  fear  for  my  life,  to  divert  their  attention. 
After  twenty-four  hours  I  began  to  mend,  but  still 
several  days  elapsed  before  I  was  able  to  devote  myself 
to  business  ;  and  then  I  found  that,  the  master-mind 
being  absent,  and  the  King,  as  always,  lukewarm  in  the 
pursuit,  nothing  had  been  done  to  detect  and  punish 
the  criminal. 


2^2      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

I  could  not  rest  easy,  however,  with  so  abominable  a 
suspicion  attaching  to  my  house  ;  and  as  soon  as  I  could 
bend  my  mind  to  the  matter  I  began  an  inquiry.  At 
the  first  stage,  however,  I  came  to  an  impasse;  the 
butler,  who  had  been  long  in  my  service,  cleared  him- 
self without  difficulty,  but  a  few  questions  discovered 
the  fact  that  a  person  who  had  been  in  his  department 
on  the  evening  in  question  was  now  to  seek,  having 
indeed  disappeared  from  that  time.  This  was  the  gipsy- 
girl,  whom  La  Trape  had  mentioned,  and  whose  pres- 
ence in  my  household  seemed  to  need  the  more 
elucidation  the  farther  I  pushed  the  inquiry.  In  the 
end  I  had  the  butler  punished,  but  though  my  agents 
sought  the  girl  through  Paris,  and  even  traced  her  to 
Meaux,  she  was  never  discovered. 

The  affair,  at  the  King's  instance,  was  not  made 
public  ;  nevertheless,  it  gave  him  so  strong  a  distaste 
for  the  Arsenal  that  he  did  not  again  visit  me,  nor  use 
the  rooms  I  had  prepared.  That  later,  when  the  first 
impression  wore  off,  he  would  have  done  so,  is  probable  ; 
but,  alas,  within  a  few  months  the  malice  of  his  enemies 
prevailed  over  my  utmost  precautions,  and  robbed  me 
of  the  best  of  masters  ;  strangely  enough,  as  all  the 
world  now  knows,  at  the  corner  of  that  very  Rue  de  la 
Ferronerie  which  he  had  seen  in  his  dream. 


THE   MAN   OF   MONCEAUX, 


XI. 

THE    MAN    OF>10NCEAUX. 

In  the  month  of  August  of  this  year  the  King  found 
some  alleviation  of  the  growing  uneasiness,  which  his 
passion  for  Madame  de  Conde  occasioned  him,  in  a  visit 
to  Monceaux,  where  he  spent  two  weeks  in  such  diver- 
sions as  the  place  afforded.  He  invited  me  to  accom- 
pany him,  but  on  my  representing  that  I  could  not  there 
—  so  easily  as  in  my  own  closet,  where  I  had  all  the 
materials  within  reach  —  prepare  the  report  which  he 
had  commanded  me  to  draw  up,  he  directed  me  to  re- 
main in  Paris  until  it  was  ready,  and  then  to  join  him. 

This  report  which  he  was  having  written,  not  only  for 
his  own  satisfaction  but  for  the  information  of  his  heir, 
took  the  form  of  a  recital  of  all  the  causes  and  events, 
spread  over  many  years,  which  had  induced  him  to  take 
in  hand  the  Great  Design  ;  together  with  a  succinct 
account  of  the  munitions  and  treasures  which  he  had 
prepared  to  carry  it  out.  As  it  included  many  things 
which  were  unknown  beyond  the  council,  and  some 
which  he  shared  only  with  me  —  and  as,  in  partic- 
ular, it  enumerated  the  various  secret  alliances  and 
agreements  which  he  had  made  with  the  princes  of 
North    Germany,   whom    a   premature   discovery   must 

275 


276      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

place  at  the  Emperor's  mercy  —  it  was  necessary  that 
I  should  draw  up  the  whole  with  my  own  hand,  and  with 
the  utmost  care  and  precaution.  This  I  did  ;  and  that 
nothing  might  be  wanting  to  a  memorial  which  I  re- 
garded with  justice  as  the  most  important  of  the  many 
State  papers  which  it  had  fallen  to  my  lot  to  prepare,  I 
spent  seven  days  in  incessant  labour  upon  it.  It  was 
not,  therefore,  until  the  third  week  in  August  that  I  was 
free  to  travel  to  Monceaux. 

I  found  my  quarters  assigned  to  me  in  a  pavilion 
called  the  Garden  House;  and,  arriving  at  supper 
time,  sat  down  with  my  household  with  more  haste 
and  less  ceremony  than  was  my  wont.  The  same 
state  of  things  prevailed,  I  suppose,  in  the  kitchen  ; 
for  we  had  not  been  seated  half  an  hour  when  a 
great  hubbub  arose  in  the  house,  and  the  servants 
rushing  in  cried  out  that  a  fire  had  broken  out  below, 
and  that  the  house  was  in  danger  of  burning. 

In  such  emergencies  I  take  it  to  be  the  duty  of 
a  man  of  standing  to  bear  himself  with  as  much 
dignity  as  is  consistent  with  vigour;  and  neither 
to  allow  himself  to  be  carried  away  by  the  outcry 
and  disorder  of  the  crowd,  nor  to  omit  any  direction 
that  may  avail.  On  this  occasion,  however,  my  first 
thought  was  given  to  the  memorial  I  had  prepared 
for  the  King ;  which  I  remembered  had  been  taken 
with  other  books  and  papers  to  a  room  over  the 
kitchen.  I  lost  not  a  moment,  therefore,  in  sending 
Maignan  for  it ;  nor  until  I  held  it  safely  in  my  hand 
did    I    feel    myself   at    liberty  to   think  of   the    house. 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  2JJ 

When  I  did,  I  found  that  the  alarm  exceeded  the 
danger;  a  few  buckets  of  water  extinguished  a  beam 
in  the  chimney  which  had  caught  fire,  and  in  a  few 
moments  we  were  able  to  resume  the  meal  with  the 
added  vivacity  which  such  an  event  gave  to  the  con- 
versation. It  has  never  been  my  custom  to  encourage 
too  great  freedom  at  my  table  ;  but  as  the  company 
consisted,  with  a  single  exception,  of  my  household, 
and  as  this  person  —  a  Monsieur  de  Vilain,  a  young 
gentleman,  the  cousin  of  one  of  my  wife's  maids-of- 
honour  —  showed  himself  possessed  of  modesty  as 
well  as  wit,  I  thought  that  the  time  excused  a  little 
relaxation. 

This  was  the  cause  of  the  misfortune  which  followed 
and  bade  fair  to  place  me  in  a  position  of  as  great 
difficulty  as  I  have  ever  known ;  for,  having  in  my 
good    humour   dismissed  the   servants,    I   continued  to 

o 

talk  for  an  hour  or  more  with  Vilain  and  some  of 
my  gentlemen  ;  the  result  being  that  I  so  far  forgot 
myself,  when  I  rose,  as  to  leave  the  report  where  I 
had  laid  it  on  the  table.  In  the  passage  I  met  a  man 
whom  the  King  had  sent  to  inquire  about  the  fire ; 
and  thus  reminded  of  the  papers  I  turned  back  to 
the  room  ;  greatly  vexed  with  myself  for  negligence 
which  in  a  subordinate  I  should  have  severely  rebuked, 
but  never  doubting  that  I  should  find  the  packet  where 
I  had  left  it. 

To  my  chagrin  the  paper  was  gone.  Still  I  could 
not  believe  that  it  had  been  stolen,  and  supposing  that 
Maignan  or  one  of  my  household  had  seen  it  and  taken 


278      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

it  to  my  closet,  I  repaired  thither  in  haste.  I  found 
Maignan  already  there,  with  M.  Boisrueil,  one  of  my 
gentlemen,  who  was  waiting  to  ask  a  favour  ;  but  they 
knew  nothing  of  the  report,  and  though  I  sent  them 
down  forthwith,  with  directions  to  make  strict  but 
quiet  inquiry,  they  returned  at  the  end  of  half  an  hour 
with  long  faces  and  no  news. 

Then  I  grew  seriously  alarmed  ;  and  reflecting  on 
the  many  important  secrets  which  the  memorial  con- 
tained, whereof  a  disclosure  must  spoil  plans  so  long 
and  sedulously  prepared,  I  found  myself  brought  on 
a  sudden  face  to  face  with  disaster.  I  could  not 
imagine  how  the  King,  who  had  again  and  again  urged 
on  me  the  utmost  precaution,  would  take  such  a  catas- 
trophe ;  nor  how  I  should  make  it  known  to  him. 
For  a  moment,  therefore,  while  I  listened  to  the  tale, 
I  felt  the  hair  rise  on  my  head  and  a  shiver  descend 
my  back ;  nor  was  it  without  an  uncommon  effort 
that  I  retained  my  coolness  and  composure. 

Plainly  no  steps  in  such  a  position  could  be  too 
stringent.  I  sent  Maignan  with  an  order  to  close 
all  the  doors  and  let  no  one  pass  out.  Then,  I  made 
sure  that  none  of  the  servants  had  entered  the  room, 
between  the  time  of  my  rising  and  return  ;  and  this 
narrowed  the  tale  of  those  who  could  have  taken 
the  packet  to  eleven,  that  being  the  number  of  persons 
who  had  sat  down  with  me.  But  having  followed  the 
matter  so  far,  I  came  face  to  face  with  this  difficulty  : 
that  all  the  eleven  were,  with  one  exception,  in  my 
service  and  in  various  ways    pledged   to  my  interests, 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  279 

so  that  I  could  not  conceive  even  the  possibility  of 
a  betrayal  by  them  in  a  matter  so  important. 

I  confess,  at  this,  the  perspiration  rose  upon  my  brow; 
for  the  paper  was  gone.  Still,  there  remained  one 
stranger;  and  though  it  seemed  scarcely  less  difficult 
to  suspect  him,  since  he  could  have  no  knowledge  of 
the  importance  of  the  document,  and  could  not  have 
anticipated  that  I  should  leave  it  in  his  power,  I  found 
in  that  the  only  likely  solution.  He  was  one  of  the 
Vilains  of  Pareil  by  Monceaux,  his  father  living  on  the 
edge  of  the  park,  little  more  than  a  thousand  yards 
from  the  chateau;  and  I  knew  no  harm  of  him.  Still, 
I  knew  little ;  and  for  that  reason  was  forward  to  believe 
that  there,  rather  than  in  my  own  household,  lay  the  key 
to  the  enigma. 

My  suspicions  were  not  lessened  when  I  discovered 
that  he  alone  of  the  party  at  table  had  left  the  house 
before  the  doors  were  closed;  and  for  a  moment  I  was 
inclined  to  have  him  followed  and  seized.  But  I  could 
scarcely  take  a  step  so  decisive  without  provoking  in- 
quiry; and  I  dared  not  at  this  stage  let  the  King  know 
of  my  negligence.  I  found  myself,  therefore,  brought 
up  short,  in  a  state  of  exasperation  and  doubt  difficult 
to  describe;  and  the  most  minute  search  within  the 
house  and  the  closest  examination  of  all  concerned 
failing  to  provide  the  slightest  clue,  I  had  no  alternative 
but  to  pass  the  night  in  that  condition. 

On  the  morrow  a  third  search  seeming  still  the  only 
resource,  and  proving  as  futile  as  the  others,  I  ordered 
La  Trape  and  two  or  three  in  whom  I   placed  the  great- 


28o      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

est  confidence  to  watch  their  fellows,  and  report  any- 
thing in  their  bearing  or  manner  that  seemed  to  be  out 
of  the  ordinary  course ;  while  I  myself  went  to  wait  on 
the  King,  and  parry  his  demand  for  the  memorial  as 
well  as  I  could.  This  it  was  necessary  to  do  without 
provoking  curiosity  ;  and  as  the  lapse  of  each  minute 
made  the  pursuit  of  the  paper  less  hopeful  and  its 
recovery  a  thing  to  pray  for  rather  than  expect,  it  will 
be  believed  that  I  soon  found  the  aspect  of  civility 
which  I  was  obliged  to  wear  so  great  a  trial  of  my 
patience,  that  I  made  an  excuse  and  retired  early  to 
my  lodging. 

Here  my  wife,  who  shared  my  anxiety,  met  me  with 
a  face  full  of  meaning.  I  cried  out  to  know  if  they  had 
found  the  paper. 

"No,"  she  answered;  "but  if  you  will  come  into 
your  closet  I  will  tell  you  what  I  have  learned." 

I  went  in  with  her,  and  she  told  me  briefly  that  the 
manner  of  Mademoiselle  de  Mars,  one  of  her  maids, 
had  struck  her  as  suspicious.  The  girl  had  begun  to 
cry  while  reading  to  her ;  and  when  questioned  had 
been  able  to  give  no  explanation  of  her  trouble. 

"  She  is  Vilain's  cousin  ? "  I  said. 

"Yes,  monsieur." 

"  Bring  her  to  me,"  I  said.  "  Bring  her  to  me  with- 
out the  delay  of  an  instant." 

My  wife  hastened  to  comply  ;  and  whatever  had  been 
the  girl's  state  earlier,  before  the  fright  of  this  hasty 
summons  had  upset  her,  her  agitation  when  thus  con- 
fronted with  me  gave  me,  before  a  word  was  spoken,  the 


THE  MAX  OF  MONCEAUX. 


281 


highest  hopes  that  I  had  here  the  key  to  the  mystery. 
I  judged  that  it  might  be  necessary  to  frighten  her  still 
more,  and  I  started  by  taking  a  harsh  tone  with  her; 
but  before  I  had  said    many  words    she    obviated    the 


/ 


y 


THE  GIRL   HAD   BEGUN   TO   CRY 


necessity  of  this  by  falling  at  my  wife's  feet  and  pro- 
testing that  she  would  tell  all. 

"Then  speak  quickly,  wench  !  "  I  said.  "You  know 
where  the  paper  is." 

"  I  know  who  has  it  I  "  she  answered,  in  a  voice  choked 
with  sobs. 


282      MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"Who?" 

"My  cousin,  M.  de  Vilain." 

"  Ha  !  and  has  taken  it  to  his  house  ?  " 

But  she  seemed  for  a  moment  unable  to  answer  this; 
her  distress  being  such  that  my  wife  had  to  fetch  a  vial 
of  pungent  salts  to  restore  her  before  she  could  say 
more.  At  length  she  found  voice  to  tell  us  that  M.  de 
Vilain  had  taken  the  paper,  and  was  this  evening  to 
hand  it  to  an  agent  of  the  Spanish  ambassador. 

"  But,  girl,"  I  said  sternly,  "  how  do  you  know  this  ? " 

Then  she  confessed  that  the  cousin  was  also  the  lover, 
and  had  before  employed  her  to  disclose  what  went  on 
in  my  household,  and  anything  of  value  that  could  be 
discovered  there.  Doubtless  the  girl,  for  whom  my 
wife,  in  spite  of  her  occasional  fits  of  reserve  and 
temper,  entertained  no  little  liking,  enjoyed  many  op- 
portunities of  prying  ;  and  would  have  continued  still 
to  serve  him  had  not  this  last  piece  of  villainy,  with  the 
stir  which  it  caused  in  the  house  and  the  rigorous  pun- 
ishment to  be  expected  in  the  event  of  discovery,  proved 
too  much  for  her  nerves.  Hence  this  burst  of  confes- 
sion ;  which  once  allowed  to  flow,  ran  on  almost  against 
her  will.  Nor  did  I  let  her  pause  to  consider  the  full 
meaning  of  what  she  was  saying  until  I  had  learned  that 
Vilain  was  to  meet  the  ambassador's  agent  an  hour 
after  sunset  at  the  east  end  of  a  clump  of  trees  which 
stood  in  the  park  ;  and  being  situate  between  his,  Vil- 
ain's,  residence  and  the  chateau,  formed  a  convenient 
place  for  such  a  transaction. 

"He  will  have  it  about  him  ? "   I  said. 


THE  MAN  OE  MONCEAUX.  283 

She  sobbed  a  moment,  but  presently  confessed. 
"Yes;  or  it  will  be  in  the  hollow  of  the  most  easterly 
tree.  He  was  to  leave  it  there,  if  the  agent  could  not 
keep  the  appointment." 

"  Good  !  "  I  said  ;  and  then,  having  assured  myself  by 
one  or  two  questions  of  that,  of  which  her  state  of  dis- 
tress and  agitation  left  me  in  little  doubt  — namely,  that 
she  was  telling  the  truth  —  I  committed  her  to  my  wife's 
care  ;  bidding  the  Duchess  lock  her  up  in  a  safe  place 
upstairs,  and  treat  her  to  bread  and  water  until  I  had 
taken  the  steps  necessary  to  prove  the  fact,  and  secure 
the  paper. 

After  this  —  but  I  should  be  tedious  were  I  to 
describe  the  alternations  of  hope  and  fear  in  which  I 
passed  the  period  of  suspense.  Suffice  it  that  I  in- 
formed no  one,  not  even  Maignan,  of  what  I  had  dis- 
covered, but  allowed  those  in  the  secret  of  the  loss  still 
to  pursue  their  efforts ;  while  I,  by  again  attending  the 
Court,  endeavoured  at  once  to  mitigate  the  King's  im- 
patience and  persuade  the  world  that  all  was  well.  A 
little  before  the  appointed  time,  however,  I  made  a  pre- 
text to  rise  from  supper,  and  quietly  calling  out  Bois- 
rueil,  bade  him  bring  four  of  the  men,  armed,  and  Maig- 
nan and  La  Trape.  With  this  small  body  I  made  my 
way  out  by  a  private  door,  and  crossed  the  park  to  the 
place  Mademoiselle  had  indicated. 

Happily,  night  had  already  begun  to  close  in,  and  the 
rendezvous  was  at  the  farther  side  of  the  clump  of  trees. 
Favoured  by  these  circumstances,  we  were  able  to  pass 
round  the  thicket  —  some  on  one  side  and  some  on  the 


284      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

other  —  without  noise  or  disturbance;  and  fortunate 
enough,  having  arrived  at  the  place,  to  discover  a  man 
walking  uneasily  up  and  down  on  the  very  spot  where 
we  expected  to  find  him.  The  evening  was  so  far  ad- 
vanced that  it  was  not  possible  to  be  sure  that  the  man 
was  Vilain  ;  but  as  all  depended  on  seizing  him  before 
he  had  any  communication  with  the  Spanish  agent, 
I  gave  the  signal,  and  two  of  my  men,  springing  on  him 
from  either  side,  in  a  moment  bore  him  to  the  ground 
and  secured  him. 

He  proved  to  be  Vilain,  so  that,  when  he  was  brought 
face  to  face  with  me,  I  was  much  less  surprised  than  he 
affected  to  be.  He  played  the  part  of  an  ignorant  so 
well,  indeed,  that,  for  a  moment,  I  was  staggered  by  his 
show  of  astonishment,  and  by  the  earnestness  with 
which  he  denounced  the  outrage  ;  nor  could  Maignan 
find  anything  on  him.  But,  a  moment  later,  remember- 
ing the  girl's  words,  I  strode  to  the  nearest  tree,  and, 
groping  about  it,  in  a  twinkling  unearthed  the  paper 
from  a  little  hollow  in  the  trunk  that  seemed  to  have 
been  made  to  receive  it.  I  need  not  say  with  what 
relief  I  found  the  seals  unbroken  ;  nor  with  what  indig- 
nation I  turned  on  the  villain  thus  convicted  of  an  act 
of  treachery  towards  the  King  only  less  black  than  the 
sin  against  hospitality  of  which  he  had  been  guilty  in 
my  house.  But  the  discovery  I  had  made  seemed 
enough  of  itself  to  overwhelm  him  ;  for,  after  standing 
apparently  stunned  while  I  spoke,  he  jerked  himself 
suddenly  out  of  his  captors'  hands,  and  made  a  desperate 
attempt  to  escape.     Finding   this  hopeless,  and  being 


Two  of  my  men 


bore  him  to  the  ground. 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  285 

seized  again  before  he  had  gone  four  paces,  he  shouted, 
at  the  top  of  his  voice  :  "  Back  !  back  !     Go  back  !  " 

We  looked  about,  somewhat  startled,  and  Boisrueil, 
with  presence  of  mind,  ran  into  the  darkness  to  see  if 
he  could  detect  the  person  addressed  ;  but  though  he 
thought  that  he  saw  the  skirt  of  a  flying  cloak  disappear 
in  the  gloom,  he  was  not  sure  ;  and  I,  having  no  mind  to 
be  mixed  up  with  the  ambassador,  called  him  back.  I 
asked  Vilain  to  whom  he  had  called,  but  the  young 
man,  turning  sullen,  would  answer  nothing  except  that 
he  knew  naught  of  the  paper.  I  thought  it  best,  there- 
fore, to  conduct  him  at  once  to  my  lodgings,  whither  it 
will  be  believed  that  I  returned  with  a  lighter  heart  than 
I  had  gone  out.     It  was,  indeed,  a  providential  escape. 

How  to  punish  the  traitor  was  another  matter,  for  I 
could  scarcely  do  so  adequately  without  betraying  my 
negligence.  I  determined  to  sleep  on  this,  however, 
and,  for  the  night,  directed  him  to  be  locked  into  a 
chamber  in  the  south-west  turret,  with  a  Swiss  to  guard 
the  door ;  my  intention  being  to  interrogate  him  farther 
on  the  morrow.  However,  Henry  sent  for  me  so  early 
that  I  was  forced  to  postpone  my  examination  ;  arul, 
being  detained  by  him  until  evening,  I  thought  it  best 
to  tell  him,  before  I  left,  what  had  happened. 

He  heard  the  story  with  a  look  of  incredulity,  which, 
little  by  little,  gave  way  to  a  broad  smile.  "  Well,"  he 
said,  "  Grand  Master,  never  chide  me  again  !  I  have 
heard  that  Homer  sometimes  nods  ;  but  if  I  were  to  tell 
this  to  Sillery  or  Villeroy,  they  would  not  believe  me." 

"  They   would    believe    anything  that    your    Majesty 


286      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

told    them,"    I    said.       "  But    you    will    not    tell    them 
this?" 

"No,"  he  said  kindly,  "I  will  not;  and  there  is  my 
hand  on  it.  For  the  matter  of  that,  if  it  had  happened 
to  them,  they  would  not  have  told  me." 

"And  perhaps  been  the  wiser  for  that,"  I  said. 

"  Don't  believe  it,"  he  answered.  "  But  now,  what  of 
this  young  Vilain  ?     You  have  him  safe  ?  " 

"Yes,  sire." 

"  The  girl  is  one  degree  worse  ;  she  betrays  both  sides 
to  save  her  skin." 

"Still,  I  promised " 

"Oh,  she  must  go,"  Henry  said.  "I  quite  under- 
stand. But  for  him  —  we  had  better  have  no  scandal. 
Keep  him  until  to-morrow,  and  I  will  see  his  father,  and 
have  him  sent  out  of  the  country." 

"And  he  will  go  scot  free,"  I  said  bluntly,  "when  a 
rope  and  the  nearest  tree " 

"Yes,  my  friend,"  Henry  answered  with  a  dry  smile  ; 
"but  that  should  have  been  done  last  night.  As  it  is, 
he  is  your  guest  and  we  must  give  an  account  of  him. 
But  first  drain  him  dry.  Frighten  him,  as  you  please, 
and  get  all  out  of  him  ;  then  I  wish  them  joy  of  him. 
Faugh  !  and  he  a  young  man  !  I  would  not  be  his  father 
for  two  such  crowns  as  mine  !  " 

As  I  returned  to  my  lodgings  I  thought  over  these 
words  ;  and  I  fell  to  wondering  by  what  stages  Vilain 
had  sunk  so  low.  Occasionally  admitted  to  my  table, 
he  had  always  borne  himself  with  a  modesty  and  discre- 
tion that  had  not  failed  to  prepossess  me ;  indeed,  the 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  287 

longer  I  considered  the  King's  saying,  the  greater  was 
the  surprise  I  felt  at  this  denouement ;  which  left  me  in 
doubt  whether  my  dulness  exceeded  my  negligence  or 
the  young  man's  parts  surpassed  his  wickedness. 

A  few  questions,  I  thought,  might  resolve  this  ;  but 
having  been  detained  by  the  King  until  supper-time,  I 
postponed  the  interview  until  I  rose.  Then  bidding 
them  bring  in  the  prisoner,  I  assumed  my  harshest  as- 
pect and  prepared  to  blast  him  by  discovering  all  his 
vileness  to  his  face. 

But  when  I  had  waited  a  little,  only  Maignan  came  in, 
with  an  air  of  consternation  that  brought  me  to  my  feet. 
"  Why,  man,  what  is  it  ?  "   I  cried. 

"The  prisoner,"  he  faltered.  "If  your  excellency 
pleases " 

"  I  do  not  please  ! "  I  said  sternly,  believing  that  I 
knew  what  had  happened.     "  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

"No,  your  excellency;  but,  he  has  escaped." 

"  Escaped  ?     From  that  room  ?  " 

Maignan  nodded. 

"Then, par  Dieu  / "  I  replied,  "the  man  who  was  on 
guard  shall  suffer  in  his  place!  Escaped?  How  could 
he  escape  except  by  treachery  ?    Where  was  the  guard  ? " 

"  He  was  there,  excellency.  And  he  says  that  no  one 
passed  him." 

"  Yet  the  man  is  gone  ? " 

"The  room  is  empty." 

"But  the  window  —  the  window,  fool,  is  fifty  feet 
from  the  ground  !  "  I  said.  "And  not  so  much  footing 
outside  as  would  hold  a  crow  !  " 


288      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

Maignan  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  in  a  rage  I  bade 
him  follow  me,  and  went  myself  to  view  the  place ;  to 
which  a  number  of  my  people  had  already  flocked  with 
lights,  so  that  I  found  some  difficulty  in  mounting  the 
staircase.  A  very  brief  inspection,  however,  sufficed  to 
confirm  my  first  impression  that  Vilain  could  have 
escaped  by  the  door  only  ;  for  the  window,  though  it 
lacked  bars  and  boasted  a  tiny  balcony,  hung  over  fifty 
feet  of  sheer  depth,  so  that  evasion  that  way  seemed  in 
the  absence  of  ladder  or  rope  purely  impossible.  This 
being  clear,  I  ordered  the  Swiss  to  be  seized ;  and  as  he 
could  give  no  explanation  of  the  escape,  and  still  per- 
sisted that  he  was  as  much  in  the  dark  as  any  one,  I 
declared  that  I  would  make  an  example  of  him,  and 
hang  him  unless  the  prisoner  was  recaptured  within 
three  days. 

I  did  not  really  propose  to  do  this,  but  in  my  irrita- 
tion I  spoke  so  roundly  that  my  people  believed  me ; 
even  Boisrueil,  who  presently  came  to  intercede  for 
the  culprit,  who,  it  seemed,  was  a  favourite.  "As  for 
Vilain,"  he  continued;  "you  can  catch  him  whenever 
you  please." 

"Then  catch  him  before  the  end  of  three  days,"  I 
answered  obstinately,  "and  the  man  lives." 

The  truth  was  that  Vilain 's  escape  placed  me  in  a 
position  of  some  discomfort ;  for  though,  on  the  one 
hand,  I  had  no  particular  desire  to  get  him  again  into 
my  hands,  seeing  that  the  King  could  effect  as  much  by 
a  word  to  his  father  as  I  had  proposed  to  do  while  I 
held  him  safe  ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  evasion  placed 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  289 

me  very  peculiarly  in  regard  to  the  King  himself, 
who  was  inclined  to  think  me  ill  or  suddenly  grown 
careless.  Some  of  the  facts,  too,  were  leaking  out,  and 
provoking  smiles  among  the  more  knowing,  and  a 
hint  here  and  there  ;  the  result  of  all  being  that,  un- 
able to  pursue  the  matter  farther  in  Vilain's  case,  I 
hardened  my  heart  and  persisted  that  the  Swiss  should 
pay  the  penalty. 

This  obstinacy  on  my  part  had  an  unforeseen  issue. 
On  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  a  little  before  supper- 
time,  my  wife  came  to  me,  and  announced  that  a  young 
lady  had  waited  on  her  with  a  tale  so  remarkable  that 
she  craved  leave  to  bring  her  to  me  that  I  might  hear  it. 
"What  is  it  ?"  I  said  impatiently. 
"  It  is  about  M.  Vilain,"  my  wife  answered,  her  face 
still  wearing  all  the  marks  of  lively  astonishment. 

"  Hah  !  "  I  exclaimed.      "  I  will  see  her  then.     But  it 

is  not  that  baggage  who " 

"  No,"  my  wife  answered.      "  It  is  another." 
"  One  of  your  maids  ?" 
"  No,  a  stranger." 
"  Well,  bring  her,"  I  said  shortly. 
She  went,  and  quickly  returned  with  a  young  lady, 
whose  face  and   modest    bearing    were    known   to    me, 
though  I   could  not,  at   the   moment,  recall  her   name. 
This   was  the   less   remarkable   as   I   am  not  prone  to 
look  much  in  maids'  faces,  leaving  that  to  younger  men  ; 
and  Mademoiselle  de  Figeac's,  though  beautiful,  was  dis- 
figured on  this  occasion  by  the  marked  distress  under 
which  she  was  labouring.     Accustomed  as  I  was  to  the 


2Q0      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

visits  of  persons  of  all  classes  and  characters  who  came 
to  me  daily  with  petitions,  I  should  have  been  disposed 
to  cut  her  short,  but  for  my  wife's  intimation  that  her 
errand  had  to  do  with  the  matter  which  annoyed  me. 
This,  as  well  as  a  trifle  of  curiosity — from  which  none 
are  quite  free  —  inclined  me  to  be  patient ;  and  I  asked 
her  what  she  would  have  with  me. 

"  Justice,  M.  le  Due,"  she  answered  simply.  "  I  have 
heard  that  you  are  seeking  M.  de  Vilain,  and  that  one 
of  your  people  is  lying  under  sentence  for  complicity  in 
his  escape." 

"That  is  true,  mademoiselle,"  I  said.  "If  you  can 
tell  me " 

"  I  can  tell  you  how  he  escaped,  and  by  whose  aid," 
she  answered. 

It  is  my  custom  to  betray  no  astonishment,  even  when 
I  am  astonished.     "  Do  so,"  I  said. 

"He  escaped  through  the  window,"  she  answered 
firmly,  "by  my  brother's  aid." 

"Your  brother's?"  I  exclaimed,  amazed  at  her 
audacity.      "I  do  not  remember  him." 

"  He  is  only  thirteen  years  old." 

I  could  hide  my  astonishment  no  longer.  "  You 
must  be  mad,  girl  !  "  I  said,  "  mad  !  You  do  not 
know  what  you  are  saying  !  The  window  of  the  room 
in  which  Vilain  was  confined  is  fifty  feet  from  the 
ground,  and  you  say  that  your  brother,  a  boy  of  thirteen, 
contrived  his  escape  ?  " 

"Yes,  M.  de  Sully,"  she  answered.  "And  the  man 
who  is  about  to  suffer  is  innocent." 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  2gi 

"How  was  it  done,  then?  "  I  asked,  not  knowing  what 
to  think  of  her  persistence. 

"  My  brother  was  flying  a  kite  that  day,"  she 
answered.  "  He  had  been  doing  so  for  a  week  or  more, 
and  every  one  was  accustomed  to  seeing  him  here. 
After  sunset,  the  wind  being  favourable,  he  came  under 
M.  de  Vilain's  window,  and,  when  it  was  nearly  dark, 
and  the  servants  and  household  were  at  supper,  he 
guided  the  kite  against  the  balcony  outside  the  window." 

"But  a  man  cannot  descend  by  a  kite-string !  " 

"  My  brother  had  a  knotted  rope,  which  M.  de  Vilain 
drew  up,"  she  answered  simply;  "and  afterwards,  when 
he  had  descended,  disengaged." 

I  looked  at  her  in  profound  amazement.  "  Your 
brother  acted  on  instructions  ?  "   I  said  at  last. 

"  On  mine,"  she  answered. 

"  You  avow  that  ?  " 

"  I  am  here  to  do  so,"  she  replied,  her  face  white  and 
red  by  turns,  but  her  eyes  continuing  to  meet  mine. 

"This  is  a  very  serious  matter,"  I  said.  "Are  you 
aware,  mademoiselle,  why  M.  Vilain  was  arrested,  and  of 
what  he  is  accused  ?  " 

"  Perfectly,"  she  answered  ;  "and  that  he  is  innocent. 
More !  "  she  continued,  clasping  her  hands,  and  looking 
at  me  bravely,  "  I  am  willing  both  to  tell  you  where  he 
is,  and  to  bring  him,  if  you  please,  into  your  presence." 

I  stared  at  her.      "  You  will  bring  him  here  ?  "  I  said. 

"Within  five  minutes,"  she  answered,  "if  you  will 
first  hear  me." 

"What  are  you  to  him  ? "  I  said. 


292       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

She  blushed  vividly.  "I  shall  be  his  wife  or  no 
one's,"  she  said  ;  and  she  looked  a  moment  at  my  wife. 

"Well,  say  what  you  have  to  say !  "  I  cried  roughly. 

"This  paper,  which  it  is  alleged  that  he  stole  —  it 
was  not  found  on  him  ;  but  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree." 

"  Within  three  paces  of  him !  And  what  was  he 
doing  there  ? " 

"  He  came  to  meet  me,"  she  answered,  her  voice 
trembling  slightly.  "  He  could  have  told  you  so,  but  he 
would  not  shame  me." 

"This  is  true  ?  "  I  said,  eyeing  her  closely. 

"I  swear  it!"  she  answered,  clasping  her  hands. 
And  then,  with  a  sudden  flash  of  rage,  "Will  the  other 
woman  swear  to  her  tale  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  Ha  !  "  I  said,  "  what  other  woman  ?  " 

"The  woman  who  sent  you  to  that  place,"  she  an- 
swered. "  He  would  not  tell  me  her  name,  or  I  would 
go  to  her  now  and  wring  the  truth  from  her.  But  he 
confessed  to  me  that  he  had  let  a  woman  into  the 
secret  of  our  meeting  ;  and  this  is  her  work." 

I  stood  a  moment  pondering,  with  my  eyes  on  the 
girl's  excited  face,  and  my  thoughts,  following  this  new 
clue  through  the  maze  of  recent  events ;  wherein  I 
could  not  fail  to  see  that  it  led  to  a  very  different  con- 
clusion from  that  at  which  I  had  arrived.  If  Vilain  had 
been  foolish  enough  to  wind  up  his  love-passages  with 
Mademoiselle  de  Mars  by  confiding  to  her  his  passion 
for  the  Figeac,  and  even  the  place  and  time  at  which 
the  latter  was  so  imprudent  as  to  meet  him,  I  could 
fancy  the  deserted  mistress  laying  this  plot ;  and  first 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX.  293 

placing  the  packet  where  we  found  it,  and  then  punish- 
ing her  lover  by  laying  the  theft  at  his  door.  True,  he 
might  be  guilty;  and  it  might  be  only  confession  and 
betrayal  on  which  jealousy  had  thrust  her.  But  the 
longer  I  considered  the  whole  of  the  circumstances,  as 
well  as  the  young  man's  character,  and  the  lengths  to 
which  I  knew  a  woman's  passion  would  carry  her,  the 
more  probable  seemed  the  explanation  I  had  just 
received. 

Nevertheless,  I  did  not  at  once  express  my  opinion  ; 
but  veiling  the  chagrin  I  naturally  felt  at  the  simple 
part  I  had  been  led  to  play  —  in  the  event  I  now 
thought  probable  —  I  sharply  ordered  Mademoiselle 
de  Figeac  to  retire  into  the  next  room  ;  and  then  I 
requested  my  wife  to  fetch  her  maid. 

Mademoiselle  de  Mars  had  been  three  days  in  solitary 
confinement,  and  might  be  taken  to  have  repented  of 
her  rash  accusation  were  it  baseless.  I  counted  some- 
what on  this  ;  and  more  on  the  effect  of  so  sudden  a 
summons  to  my  presence.  But  at  first  sight  it  seemed 
that  I  did  so  without  cause.  Instead  of  the  agitation 
which  she  had  displayed  when  brought  before  me  to 
confess,  she  now  showed  herself  quiet  and  even  sullen  ; 
nor  did  the  gleam  of  passion,  which  I  thought  that  I 
discerned  smouldering  in  her  dark  eyes,  seem  to  prom- 
ise either  weakness  or  repentance.  However,  I  had 
too  often  observed  the  power  of  the  unknown  over  a 
guilty  conscience  to  despair  of  eliciting  the  truth. 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  two  or  three  questions,"  I  said 
civilly.     "  First,  was  M.  de  Vilain  with  you  when  you 


2Q4 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


placed  the  paper  in  the  hollow  of  the  tree  ?  Or  were 
you  alone  ?  " 

I  saw  her  eyelids  quiver  as  with  sudden  fear,  and  her 
voice  shook  as  she  stammered,  "When  I  placed  the 
paper  ?  " 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "when  you  placed  the  paper.  I  have 
reason  to  know  that  you  did  it.  I  wish  to  learn  whether 
he  was  present,  or  you  did  it  merely  under  his  orders  ? " 

She  looked  at  me,  her  face  a  shade  paler,  and  I  do  not 
doubt  that  her  mind  was  on  the  rack  to  divine  how 
much  I  knew,  and  how  far  she  might  deny  and  how 
far  confess.  My  tone  seemed  to  encourage  frankness, 
however,  and  in  a  moment  she  said,  "  I  placed  it  under 
his  directions." 

"  Yes,"  I  said  drily,  my  last  doubt  resolved  by  the  ad- 
mission ;  "  but  that  being  so,  why  did  Vilain  go  to  the 
spot  ?  " 

She  grew  still  a  shade  paler,  but  in  a  moment  she 
answered,  "To  meet  the  agent." 

"Then  why  did  you  place  the  paper  in  the  tree  ?  " 

She  saw  the  difficulty  in  which  she  had  placed  herself, 
and  for  an  instant  she  stared  at  me  with  a  look  of  a  wild 
animal  caught  in  a  trap.  Then,  "  In  case  the  agent  was 
late,"  she  muttered. 

"But  since  Vilain  had  to  go  to  the  spot,  why  did  he 
not  deposit  the  paper  in  the  tree  himself  ?     Why  did  he 

send   you  to  the    place    beforehand  ?     Why    did " 

and  then  I  broke  off  and  cried  harshly,  "  Shall  I  tell 
you  why  ?     Shall  I  tell  you  why,  you  false  jade ? " 

She  cowered  away  from  me  at  the  words,  and  stood 


THE  MAN  OF  MONCEAUX. 


295 

But 


terror-stricken,  gazing  at  me  like  one  fascinated, 
she  did  not  answer. 

"Because,"  I  cried,  "your  story  is  a  tissue  of  lies  ! 
Because    it    was    you,    and   you    only,    who    stole    this 

paper!    Because Down  on  your  knees !  down  on  your 

knees!"     I    thundered,  "and   confess!     Confess,  or  I 


SHE  THREW    HERSELF  DOWN 


will  have  you  whipped  at  the  cart's  tail,  like  the  false 
witness  you  are  !  " 

She  threw  herself  down  shrieking,  and  caught  my 
wife  by  the  skirts,  and  in  a  breath  had  said  all  I  wanted  ; 
and  more  than  enough  to  show  me  that  I  had  suspected 


296      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

Vilain  without  cause,  and  both  played  the  simpleton 
myself  and  harried  my  household  to  distraction. 

So  far  good.  I  could  arrange  matters  with  Vilain, 
and  probably  avoid  publicity.  But  what  was  now  to  be 
done  with  her  ? 

In  the  case  of  a  man  I  should  have  thought  no  punish- 
ment too  severe,  and  the  utmost  rigour  of  the  law  too 
tender  for  such  perfidy  ;  but  as  she  was  a  woman,  and 
young,  and  under  my  wife's  protection,  I  hesitated. 
Finally,  the  Duchess  interceding,  I  leaned  to  the  side 
of  that  mercy  which  the  girl  had  not  shown  to  her 
lover  ;  and  thought  her  sufficiently  punished  at  the  mo- 
ment by  the  presence  of  Mademoiselle  de  Figeac,  whom 
I  called  into  the  room  to  witness  her  humiliation,  and  in 
the  future  by  dismissal  from  my  household.  As  this  im- 
ported banishment  to  her  father's  country-house,  where 
her  mother,  a  shrewd  old  Bearnaise  saved  pence  and 
counted  lentils  into  the  soup,  and  saw  company  once  a 
quarter,  I  had  perhaps  reason  to  be  content  with  her 
chastisement. 

For  the  rest  I  sent  for  M.  de  Vilain,  and  by  finding 
him  employment  in  the  finances,  and  interceding  for 
him  with  the  old  Vicomte  de  Figeac,  confirmed  him 
in  the  attachment  he  had  begun  to  feel  for  me  before 
this  unlucky  event  ;  nor  do  I  doubt  that  I  should  have 
been  able  in  time  to  advance  him  to  a  post  worthy  of 
the  talents  I  discerned  in  him.  But,  alas,  the  deplor- 
able crime,  which  so  soon  deprived  me  at  one  blow  of 
my  master  and  of  power,  put  an  end  to  this,  among 
other  and  greater  schemes. 


AT   FONTAINEBLEAU. 


XII. 

AT    FONTAINEBLEAU. 

The  passion  which  Henry  still  felt  for  Madame  de 
Conde,  and  which  her  flight  from  the  country  was  far 
from  assuaging,  had  a  great  share  in  putting  him  upon 
the  immediate  execution  of  the  designs  we  had  so  long- 
prepared.  Looking  to  find  in  the  stir  and  bustle  of  a 
German  campaign  that  relief  of  mind  which  the  Court 
could  no  longer  afford  him,  he  discovered  in  the  un- 
hoped-for wealth  of  his  treasury  an  additional  incite- 
ment ;  and  now  waited  only  for  the  opening  of  spring 
and  the  Queen's  coronation  to  remove  the  last  obstacles 
that  kept  him  from  the  field. 

Nevertheless,  relying  on  my  assurances  that  all  things 
were  ready,  and  persuaded  that  the  more  easy  he  showed 
himself  the  less  prepared  would  he  find  the  enemy,  he 
made  no  change  in  his  habits ;  but  in  March,  1610, 
went,  as  usual,  to  Fontainebleau,  where  he  diverted 
himself  with  hunting.  It  was  during  this  visit  that  the 
Court  credited  him  with  seeing  —  I  think,  on  the  Fri- 
day before  the  Feast  of  the  Virgin  —  the  Great  Hunts- 
man ;  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  specify  the  part  of  the 
forest  in  which  he  came  upon  it,  and  the  form  —  that 
of  a  gigantic  black  horseman,  surrounded  by  hounds  — 

299 


300      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

which  it  assumed.  The  spectre  had  not  been  seen  since 
the  year  1598;  nevertheless,  the  story  spread  widely, 
those  who  whispered  it  citing  in  its  support  not  .only 
the  remarkable  agitation  into  which  the  Queen  fell 
publicly  on  the  evening  of  that  day,  but  also  some 
strange  particulars  that  attended  the  King's  return  from 
the  forest ;  and,  being  taken  up  and  repeated,  and  con- 
firmed, as  many  thought,  by  the  unhappy  sequence 
of  his  death,  the  fable  found  a  little  later  almost  uni- 
versal credence,  so  that  it  may  now  be  found  even  in 
books. 

As  it  happened,  however,  I  was  that  day  at  Fontaine- 
bleau,  and  hunted  with  the  King ;  and,  favoured  both 
by  chance  and  the  confidence  with  which  my  master 
never  failed  to  honour  me,  am  able  not  only  to  refute 
this  story,  but  to  narrate  the  actual  facts  from  which 
it  took  its  rise.  And  though  there  are  some,  I  know, 
who  boast  that  they  had  the  tale  from  the  King's  own 
mouth,  I  undertake  to  prove  either  that  they  are 
romancers  who  seek  to  add  an  inch  to  their  stature,  or 
dull  fellows  who  placed  their  own  interpretation  on  the 
hasty  words  he  vouchsafed  such  chatterers. 

As  a  fact,  the  King,  on  that  day  wishing  to  discuss 
with  me  the  preparations  for  the  Queen's  entry,  bade  me 
keep  close  to  him,  since  he  had  more  inclination  for  my 
company  than  the  chase.  But  the  crowd  that  attended 
him  was  so  large,  the  day  being  fine  and  warm  —  and 
comprised,  besides,  so  many  ladies,  whose  badinage  and 
gaiety  he  could  never  forego  —  that  I  found  him  insen- 
sibly drawn  from  me.     Far  from  being  displeased,  I  was 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  301 

glad  to  see  him  forget  the  moodiness  which  had  of  late 
oppressed  him  ;  and  beyond  keeping  within  sight  of  him, 
gave  up,  for  the  time,  all  thought  of  affairs,  and  found 
in  the  beauty  of  the  spectacle  sufficient  compensation. 
The  bright  dresses  and  waving  feathers  of  the  party 
showed  to  the  greatest  advantage,  as  the  long  cavalcade 
wound  through  the  heather  and  rocks  of  the  valley  below 
the  Apremonts  ;  and  whether  I  looked  to  front  or  rear 
—  on  the  huntsmen,  with  their  great  horns,  or  the 
hounds  straining  in  the  leashes  —  I  was  equally  charmed 
with  a  sight  at  once  joyous  and  gallant,  and  one  to  which 
the  calls  of  duty  had  of  late  made  me  a  stranger. 

On  a  sudden  a  quarry  was  started,  and  the  company, 
galloping  off  pell-mell,  with  a  merry  burst  of  music, 
were  in  a  moment  dispersed,  some  taking  this  track,  and 
others  that,  through  the  rocks  and  debris  that  make  that 
part  of  the  forest  difficult.  Singling  out  the  King,  I  kept 
as  near  him  as  possible  until  the  chase  led  us  into  the 
Apremont  coverts,  where,  the  trees  growing  thickly,  and 
the  rides  cut  through  them  being  intricate,  I  lost  him  for 
a  while.  Again,  however,  I  caught  sight  of  him  flying- 
down  a  ride  bordered  by  dark-green  box-trees,  against 
which  his  white  hunting  coat  showed  vividly  ;  but  now 
he  was  alone,  and  riding  in  a  direction  which  each 
moment  carried  him  farther  from  the  line  of  the  chase, 
and  entangled  him  more  deeply  in  the  forest. 

Supposing  that  he  had  made  a  bad  cast  and  was  in 
error,  I  dashed  the  spurs  into  my  horse,  and  galloped 
after  him  ;  then,  finding  that  he  still  held  his  own,  and 
that  I   did  not  overtake  him,  but  that,  on  the  contrary, 


302       MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

he  was  riding  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  I  called  to  him. 
"You  are  in  error,  sire,  I  think!"  I  cried.  "The 
hounds  are  the  other  way  !  " 

He  heard,  for  he  raised  his  hand,  and,  without  turning 
his  head,  made  me  a  sign  ;  but  whether  of  assent  or 
denial,  I  could  not  tell.  And  he  still  held  on  his  course. 
Then,  for  a  moment,  I  fancied  that  his  horse  had  got 
the  better  of  him,  and  was  running  away  ;  but  no  sooner 
had  the  thought  occurred  to  me  than  I  saw  that  he  was 
spurring  it,  and  exciting  it  to  its  utmost  speed,  so  that 
we  reached  the  end  of  that  ride,  and  rushed  through 
another  and  still  another,  always  making,  I  did  not  fail 
to  note,  for  the  most  retired  part  of  the  forest. 

We  had  proceeded  in  this  way  about  a  mile,  and  the 
sound  of  the  hunt  had  quite  died  away  behind  us,  and  I 
was  beginning  to  chafe,  as  well  as  marvel,  at  conduct  so 
singular,  when  at  last  I  saw  that  he  was  slackening  his 
pace.  My  horse,  which  was  on  the  point  of  failing, 
began,  in  turn,  to  overhaul  his,  while  I  looked  out  with 
sharpened  curiosity  for  the  object  of  pursuit.  I  could 
see  nothing,  however,  and  no  one  ;  and  had  just  satis- 
fied myself  that  this  was  one  of  the  droll  freaks  in  which 
he  would  sometimes  indulge,  and  that  in  a  second  or  two 
he  would  turn  and  laugh  at  my  discomfiture,  when,  on  a 
sudden,  with  a  final  pull  at  the  reins,  he  did  turn,  and 
showed  me  a  face  flushed  with  passion  and  chagrin. 

I  was  so  taken  aback  that  I  cried  out.  "  Mon  Dicu! 
sire,"  I  said.      "What  is  it?     What  is  the  matter?" 

"Matter  enough!"  he  cried,  with  an  oath.  And  on 
that,  halting  his  horse,  he  looked  at  me  as  if  he  would 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  303 

read  my  heart.  "  Ventre  de  Saint  Gris"  he  said,  in  a 
voice  that  made  me  tremble,  "  if  I  were  sure  that  there 
was  no  mistake,  I  would  —  I  would  never  see  your 
face  again  !  " 

I  uttered  an  exclamation. 

"  Have  you  not  deceived  me  ?  "  quoth  he. 

"Oh,  sire,  I  am  weary  of  these  suspicions!"  I  an- 
swered, affecting  an  indifference  I  did  not  feel.  "  If 
your  Majesty  does  not " 

But  he  cut  me  short.  "  Answer  me  !  "  he  said  harshly, 
his  mouth  working  in  his  beard  and  his  eyes  gleaming 
with  excitement.     "  Have  you  not  deceived  me  ?  " 

"No,  sire!  "  I  said. 

"  Yet  you  have  told  me  day  by  day  that  Madame  de 
Conde  remained  in  Brussels  ?  " 

"Certainly  !  " 

"And  you  still  say  so  ? " 

"  Most  certainly  !  "  I  answered  firmly,  beginning  to 
think  that  his  passion  had  turned  his  brain.  "  I  had 
despatches  to  that  effect  this  morning." 

"Of  what  date?" 

"Three  days  gone.  The  courier  travelled  night  and 
day." 

"  They  may  be  true,  and  still  she  may  be  here  to-day  ? " 
he  said,  staring  at  me. 

"  Impossible,  sire  !  " 

"But,  man,  I  have  just  seen  her!"  he  cried  impa- 
tiently. 

"  Madame  cle  Conde  ?  " 

"Yes,    Madame   de    Conde,  or    I    am   a   madman!" 


304 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MIXISTER    OF  FRANCE. 


Henry  answered,  speaking  a  little  more  moderately.  "I 
saw  her  gallop  out  of  the  patch  of  rocks  at  the  end  of 
the  Dormoir  —  where  the  trees  begin.  She  did  not  heed 
the  line  of   the  hounds,  but  turned  straight  down  the 

boxwood  ride; 
and,  after  that, 
led  as  I  followed. 
"  Did  you  not 
see  her  ? " 

"  No,  sire,"  I 
said,  inexpressi- 
bly alarmed  —  I 
could  take  it  for 


nothing  but  fan- 
tasy—  I  saw  no 
one. 

''And  I  saw 
her  as  clearly  as 
I  see  you,"  he 
answered.  "She 
wore  the  yellow 
ostrich  feather 
she  wore  last  year,  and  rode  her  favourite  chestnut 
horse  with  a  white  stocking.  But  I  could  have  sworn 
to  her  by  her  figure  alone  ;  and  she  waved  her  hand  to 
me." 

"  But,  sire,  out  of  the  many  ladies  riding  to-day " 

"There    is    no    lady   wearing  a  yellow  feather,"    he 
answered  passionately.      "And  the  horse  !     And  I  knew 


SHE  WORE  THE  YELLOW   OSTRICH    FEATHER 


her,  man  !     Besides,  she  waved  to 


me 


And,  for  the 


AT  FONTAINEDLEAU.  305 

others  —  why  should  they  turn  from  the  hunt  and  take 
to  the  woods  ?  " 

I  could  not  answer  this,  but  I  looked  at  him  in  fear ; 
for,  as  it  was  impossible  that  the  Princess  de  Conde 
could  be  here,  I  saw  no  alternative  but  to  think  him 
smitten  with  madness.  The  extravagance  of  the  pas- 
sion which  he  had  entertained  for  her,  and  the  wrath 
into  which  the  news  of  her  flight  with  her  young  hus- 
band had  thrown  him,  to  say  nothing  of  the  depression 
under  which  he  had  since  suffered,  rendered  the  idea  not 
so  unlikely  as  it  now  seems.  At  any  rate,  I  was  driven 
for  a  moment  to  entertain  it ;  and  gazed  at  him  in 
silence,  a  prey  to  the  most  dreadful  apprehensions. 

We  stood  in  a  narrow  ride,  bordered  by  evergreens, 
with  which  that  part  of  the  forest  is  planted  ;  and,  but 
for  the  songs  of  the  birds,  the  stillness  would  have  been 
absolute.  On  a  sudden  the  King  removed  his  eyes 
from  me,  and,  walking  his  horse  a  pace  or  two  along 
the  ride,  uttered  a  cry  of  joy. 

He  pointed  to  the  ground.  "  We  are  right  ! "  he 
said.  "  There  are  her  tracks  !  Come  !  We  will  over- 
take her  yet  !  " 

I  looked,  and  saw  the  fresh  prints  of  a  horse's 
shoes,  and  felt  a  great  weight  roll  off  my  mind,  for 
at  least  he  had  seen  some  one.  I  no  longer  hesitated 
to  fall  in  with  his  humour,  but,  riding  after  him,  kept 
at  his  elbow  until  he  reached  the  end  of  the  ride. 
Here,  a  vista  opening  right  and  left,  and  the  ground 
being  hard  and  free  from  tracks,  we  stood  at  a  loss  ; 
until    the    King,    whose    eyesight    was    always    of    the 


306      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

keenest,  uttered  an  exclamation,  and  started  from 
me  at  a  gallop. 

I  followed  more  slowly,  and  saw  him  dismount  and 
pick  up  a  glove,  which,  even  at  that  distance,  he 
had  discerned  lying  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  paths. 
He  cried,  with  a  flushed  face,  that  it  was  Madame 
de  Conde's ;  and  added:  "It  has  her  perfume  —  her 
perfume,  which  no  one  else  uses  ! " 

I  confess  that  this  so  staggered  me  that  I  knew  not 
what  to  think ;  but,  between  sorrow  at  seeing  my 
master  so  infatuated  and  bewilderment  at  a  riddle 
that  grew  each  moment  more  perplexing,  I  sat  gap- 
ing at  Henry  like  a  man  without  counsel.  How- 
ever, at  the  moment,  he  needed  none,  but,  getting 
to  his  saddle  as  quickly  as  he  could,  he  began  again 
to  follow  the  tracks  of  the  horse's  feet,  which  here 
were  visible,  the  path  running  through  a  beech  wood. 
The  branches  were  still  bare,  and  the  shining  trunks 
stood  up  like  pillars,  the  ground  about  them  being 
soft.  We  followed  the  prints  through  this  wood  for 
a  mile  and  a  half  or  more,  and  then,  with  a  cry,  the 
King  darted  from  me,  and,  in  an  instant,  was  racing 
through  the  wood  at  break-neck  speed. 

I  had  a  glimpse  of  a  woman  flying  far  ahead  of 
us  ;  and  now  hidden  from  us  by  the  trunks  and  now 
disclosed ;  and  could  even  see  enough  to  determine 
that  she  wore  a  yellow  feather  drooping  from  her 
hat,  and  was  in  figure  not  unlike  the  Princess.  But 
that  was  all  ;  for,  once  started,  the  inequalities  of  the 
ground  drew  my  eyes  from  the  flying  form,  and,  losing 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU. 


307 


it,  I  could  not  again  recover  it.  On  the  contrary, 
it  was  all  I  could  do  to  keep  up  with  the  King;  and 
of   the  speed  at   which  the   woman   was   riding,   could 


.   .   .   ALL   I   COULD   DO  TO  KEEP   UP  WITH  THE  KING 

best  judge  by  the  fact  that  in  less  than  five  minutes 
he,  too,  pulled  up  with  a  gesture  of  despair,  and  waited 
for  me  to  come  abreast  of  him. 

"You    saw  her?"   he   said,   his   face   grim,  and  with 
something  of  suspicion  lurking  in   it. 


3o8      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  Yes,  sire,"  I  answered,  "  I  saw  a  woman,  and 
a  woman  with   a  yellow  feather ;    but  whether   it  was 

the  Princess " 

"  It  was  ! "  he  said.  "  If  not,  why  should  she  flee 
from  us  ? " 

To  that,  again,  I  had  not  a  word  to  say,  and  for 
a  moment  we  rode  in  silence.  Observing,  however, 
that  this  last  turn  had  brought  us  far  on  the  way 
home,  I  called  the  King's  attention  to  this  ;  but 
he  had  sunk  into  a  fit  of  gloomy  abstraction,  and  rode 
along  with  his  eyes  on  the  ground.  We  proceeded 
thus  until  the  slender  path  we  followed  brought  us 
into  the  great  road  that  leads  through  the  forest 
to  the  kennels  and  the  new  canal. 

Here  I  asked  him  if  he  would  not  return  to  the 
chase,  as  the  day  was  still  young. 

"  Mon  Dieu,  no !  "  he  answered  passionately.  "  I 
have  other  work  to  do.  Hark  ye,  M.  le  Due,  do  you 
still  think  that  she  is  in  Brussels  ? " 

"  I  swear  that  she  was  there  three  days  ago, 
sire !  " 

"  And  you  are  not  deceiving  me  ?  If  it  be  so,  God 
forgive  you,  for  I  shall  not ! " 

"It  is  no  trick  of  mine,  sire,"  I  answered  firmly. 

"  Trick?"  he  cried,  with  a  flash  of  his  eyes.  "A 
trick,  you  say  ?  No,  ventre  de  Saint  Gris  !  there  is  no 
man  in  France  dare  trick  me  so  !  " 

I  did  not  contradict  him,  the  rather  as  we  were  now 
close  to  the  kennels,  and  I  was  anxious  to  allay  his 
excitement ;  that  it  might  not  be  detected  by  the  keen 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  309 

eyes  that  lay  in  wait  for  us,  and  so  add  to  the  gossip  to 
which  his  early  return  must  give  rise.  I  hoped  that  at 
that  hour  he  might  enter  unperceived,  by  way  of  the 
kennels  and  the  little  staircase;  but  in  this  I  was  dis- 
appointed, the  beauty  of  the  day  having  tempted  a  num- 
ber of  ladies,  and  others  who  had  not  hunted,  to  the 
terrace  by  the  canal  ;  whence,  walking  up  and  down, 
their  fans  and  petticoats  fluttering  in  the  sunshine,  and 
their  laughter  and  chatter  filling  the  air,  they  were  able 
to  watch  our  approach  at  their  leisure. 

Unfortunately,  Henry  had  no  longer  the  patience  and 
self-control  needful  for  such  a  rencontre.  He  dismounted 
with  a  dark  and  peevish  air,  and,  heedless  of  the  staring, 
bowing  throng,  strode  up  the  steps.  Two  or  three,  who 
stood  high  in  favour,  put  themselves  forward  to  catch  a 
smile  or  a  word,  but  he  vouchsafed  neither.  He  walked 
through  them  with  a  sour  air,  and  entered  the  chateau 
with  a  precipitation  that  left  all  tongues  wagging. 

To  add  to  the  misfortune,  something  —  I  forget  what 
—  detained  me  a  moment,  and  that  cost  us  dear.  Before 
I  could  cross  the  terrace,  Concini,  the  Italian,  came  up, 
and,  saluting  me,  said  that  the  Queen  desired  to  speak 
to  me. 

"The  Queen?"  I  said  doubtfully,  foreseeing  trouble. 
"  She  is  waiting  at  the  gate  of  the  farther  court,"  he 
answered  politely,  his  keen  black  eyes  reverting,  with 
eager  curiosity,  to  the  door  by  which  the  King  had  dis- 
appeared. 

I  could  not  refuse,  and  went  to  her.  "  The  King  has 
returned  early,  M.  le  Due  ?  "  she  said. 


3io 


MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 


"  Yes,  madame,"  I  answered.  "He  had  a  fancy  to 
discuss  affairs  to-day,  and  we  lost  the  hounds." 

"Together?" 

"I  had  the  honour,  madame." 

"You  do  not  seem  to  have  agreed  very  well  ? "  she 
said,  smiling. 

"Madame,"  I  answered  bluntly,  "his  Majesty  has  no 
more  faithful  servant ;  but  we  do  not  always  agree." 

She  raised  her  hand,  and,  with  a  slight  gesture,  bade 
her  ladies  stand  back,  while  her  face  lost  its  expression 
of  good-temper,  and  grew  sharp  and  dark.  "  Was  it 
about  the  Conde  ? "  she  said,  in  a  low,  grating  voice. 

"No,  madame,"  I  answered;  "it  was  about  certain 
provisions.  The  King's  ear  had  been  grossly  abused, 
and  his  Majesty  led  to  believe " 

"  Faugh  !  "  she  cried,  with  a  wave  of  contempt,  "that 
is  an  old  story  !  I  am  sick  of  it.  Is  she  still  at  Brus- 
sels ?  " 

"  Still,  madame." 

"Then  see  that  she  stops  there!"  her  Majesty 
retorted,  with  a  meaning  look. 

And  with  that  she  dismissed  me,  and  I  went  into  the 
chateau.  I  proposed  to  rejoin  the  King  ;  but,  to  my 
chagrin,  I  found,  when  I  reached  the  closet,  that  he  had 
already  sent  for  Varennes,  and  was  shut  up  with  him. 
I  went  back  to  my  rooms  therefore,  and,  after  changing 
my  hunting  suit  and  transacting  some  necessary  busi- 
ness, sat  down  to  dinner  with  Nicholas,  the  King's 
secretary,  a  man  fond  of  the  table,  whom  I  often  enter- 
tained.    He  kept  me  in  talk  until  the  afternoon  was  well 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  31 1 

advanced,    and  we   were  still   at  table   when    Maignan 
appeared  and  told  me  that  the  King  had  sent  for  me. 

"I  will  go,"   I  said,  rising. 

"  He  is  with  the  Queen,  your  excellency,"  he  con- 
tinued. 

This  somewhat  surprised  me,  but  I  thought  no  evil ; 
and,  finding  one  of  the  Queen's  Italian  pages  at  the 
door  waiting  to  conduct  me,  I  followed  him  across  the 
court  that  lay  between  my  lodgings  and  her  apartments. 
Two  or  three  of  the  King's  gentlemen  were  in  the  ante- 
room when  I  arrived,  and  Varennes,  who  was  standing 
by  one  of  the  fireplaces  toying  with  a  hound,  made  me 
a  face  of  dismay  ;  he  could  not  speak,  owing  to  the 
company. 

Still  this,  in  a  degree,  prepared  me  for  the  scene  in 
the  chamber,  where  I  found  the  Queen  storming  up  and 
down  the  room,  while  the  King,  still  in  his  hunting 
dress,  sat  on  a  low  chair  by  the  fire,  apparently  drying 
his  boots.  Mademoiselle  Galigai,  the  Queen's  waiting- 
woman,  stood  in  the  background  ;  but  more  than  this  I 
had  not  time  to  observe,  for,  before  I  had  reached  the 
middle  of  the  floor,  the  Queen  turned  on  me,  and  began 
to  abuse  me  with  a  vehemence  which  fairly  shocked  me. 

"And  you  !"  she  cried,  "  who  speak  so  slow,  and  look 
so  solemn,  and  all  the  time  do  his  dirty  work,  like  the 
meanest  cook  he  has  ennobled  !  It  is  well  you  are  here! 
Enfin,  you  are  found  out  — you  and  your  provisions! 
Your  provisions,  of  which  you  talked  in  the  wood  !  " 

"Mon  Dicu!  "  the  King  groaned;  "give  me  pa- 
tience ! " 


312      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"  He  has  given  me  patience  these  ten  years,  sire  !  " 
she  retorted  passionately.  "  Patience  to  see  myself 
flouted  by  your  favourites,  insulted  and  displaced,  and 
set  aside  !  But  this  is  too  much  !  It  was  enough  that 
you  made  yourself  the  laughing-stock  of  France  once 
with  this  madame  !  I  will  not  have  it  again — no: 
though  twenty  of  your  counsellors  frown  at  me  !  " 

"Your  Majesty  seems  displeased,"  I  said.  "But  as 
I  am  quite  in  the  dark " 

"Liar!"  she  cried,  giving  way  to  her  fury.  "When 
you  were  with  her  this  morning  !  When  you  saw  her  ! 
When  you  stooped  to " 

"Madame!"  the  King  said  sternly,  "if  you  forget 
yourself,  be  good  enough  to  remember  that  you  are 
speaking  to  French  gentlemen,  not  to  traders  of 
Florence  !  " 

She  sneered.  "  You  think  to  wound  me  by  that  ! " 
she  cried,  breathing  quickly.  "  But  I  have  my  grand- 
father's blood  in  me,  sire  ;  and  no  King  of  France " 

"  One  King  of  France  will  presently  make  your  uncle 
of  that  blood  sing  small!"  the  King  answered  viciously. 
"  So  much  for  that  ;  and  for  the  rest,  sweetheart,  softly, 
softly!" 

"  Oh  !  "  she  cried,  "  I  will  go  :  I  will  not  stay  to  be 
outraged  by  that  woman's  presence  !  " 

I  had  now  an  inkling  what  was  the  matter ;  and  dis- 
cerning that  the  quarrel  was  a  more  serious  matter  than 
their  every-day  bickerings,  and  threatened  to  go  to 
lengths  that  might  end  in  disaster,  I  ignored  the  insult 
her  Majesty  had  flung  at  me,  and  entreated  her  to  be 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  313 

calm.  "  If  I  understand  aright,  madame,"  I  said,  "  you 
have  some  grievance  against  his  Majesty.  Of  that  I 
know  nothing.  But  I  also  understand  that  you  allege 
something  against  me ;  and  it  is  to  speak  to  that,  I 
presume,  that  I  am  summoned.  If  you  will  deign  to 
put  the  matter  into  words " 

"  Words  !  "  she  cried.  "  You  have  words  enough  ! 
But  get  out  of  this,  Master  Grave-Airs,  if  you  can  ! 
Did  you,  or  did  you  not,  tell  me  this  morning  that  the 
Princess  of  Conde  was  in  Brussels  ?" 

"  I  did,  madame." 

"  Although  half  an  hour  before  you  had  seen  her,  you 
had  talked  with  her,  you  had  been  with  her  in  the 
forest  ? " 

"  But  I  had  not,  madame  !  " 

"  What  ?  "  she  cried,  staring  at  me,  surprised  doubtless 
that  I  manifested  no  confusion.  "  Do  you  say  that  you 
did  not  see  her  ?  " 

"I  did  not." 

"Nor  the  King  ?" 

"  The  King,  madame,  cannot  have  seen  her  this  morn- 
ing," I  said,  "  because  he  is  here  and  she  is  in  Brussels." 

"  You  persist  in  that  ?" 

"Certainly!"  I  said.  "  Besides,  madame,"  I  con- 
tinued, "  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  King  has  given  you 
his  word " 

"His  word  is  good  for  every  one  but  his  wife  !  "  she 
answered  bitterly.  "  And  for  yours,  M.  le  Due,  I  will 
show  you  what  it  is  worth.     Mademoiselle,  call " 

"Nay,  madame  !  "   I  said,  interrupting  her  with  spirit, 


314       MEMOIRS  OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  if  you  are  going  to  call  your  household  to  contradict 
me " 

"But  I  am  not!"  she  cried  in  a  voice  of  triumph 
that,  for  the  moment,  disconcerted  me.  "  Mademoiselle, 
send  to  M.  de  Bassompierre's  lodgings,  and  bid  him 
come  to  me  !  " 

The  King  whistled  softly,  while  I,  who  knew  Bassom- 
pierre  to  be  devoted  to  him,  and  to  be,  in  spite  of  the 
levity  to  which  his  endless  gallantries  bore  witness,  a 
man  of  sense  and  judgment,  prepared  myself  for  a 
serious  struggle  ;  judging  that  we  were  in  the  meshes  of 
an  intrigue,  wherein  it  was  impossible  to  say  whether 
the  Queen  figured  as  actor  or  dupe.  The  passion  she 
evinced  as  she  walked  to  and  fro  with  clenched  hands, 
or  turned  now  and  again  to  dart  a  fiery  glance  at  the 
Cordovan  curtain  that  hid  the  door,  was  so  natural  to 
her  character  that  I  found  myself  leaning  to  the  latter 
supposition.  Still,  in  grave  doubt  what  part  Bassom- 
pierre  was  to  play,  I  looked  for  his  coming  as  anxiously 
as  any  one.  And  probably  the  King  shared  this  feeling  ; 
but  he  affected  indifference,  and  continued  to  sit  over 
the  fire  with  an  air  of  mingled  scorn  and  peevishness. 

At  length  Bassompierre  entered,  and,  seeing  the  King, 
advanced  with  an  open  brow  that  persuaded  me,  at 
least,  of  his  innocence.  Attacked  on  the  instant,  how- 
ever, by  the  Queen,  and  taken  by  surprise,  as  it  were, 
between  two  fires  —  though  the  King  kept  silence,  and 
merely  shrugged  his  shoulders  —  his  countenance  fell. 
He  was  at  that  time  one  of  the  handsomest  gallants 
about    the    Court,  thirty  years  old,  and  the  darling  of 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  315 

women,  but  at  this  his  aplomb  failed  him,  and  with  it  my 
heart  sank  also. 

"Answer,  sir!  answer!"  the  Queen  cried.  "And 
without  subterfuge!  Who  was  it,  sir,  whom  you 
saw  come  from  the  forest  this  morning  ?  " 

"  Madame  ? " 

"In  one  word! " 

"  If  your  Majesty  will " 

"  I  will  permit  you  to  answer,"  the  Queen  exclaimed. 

"  I  saw  his  Majesty  return,"  he  faltered  —  "  and  M.  de 
Sully." 

''Before  them  !  before  them  !  " 

"  I  may  have  been  mistaken." 

"  Pooh,  man  !  "  the  Queen  cried  with  biting  contempt. 
"You  have  told  it  to  half-a-dozen.     Discretion  comes  a 

little  late." 

"  Well,  if  you  will,  madame,"  he  said,  striving  to  as- 
sert himself,  but  cutting  a  poor  figure,  "  I  fancied  that 
I  saw  Madame  de  Conde " 

"  Come  out  of  the  wood  ten  minutes  before  the  King  ? " 

"  It  may  have  been  twenty,"  he  muttered. 

But  the  Queen  cared  no  more  for  him.  She  turned, 
looking  superb  in  her  wrath,  to  the  King.  "  Now,  sir  !  " 
she  said.      "  Am  I  to  bear  this  ?  " 

"Sweet  !"  the  King  said,  governing  his  temper  in  a 
way  that  surprised  me,  "hear  reason,  and  you  shall 
have  it  in  a  word.  How  near  was  Bassompierre  to  the 
lady  he  saw  ?  " 

"I  was  not  within  fifty  paces  of  her  !  "  the  favourite 
cried  eagerly. 


3i6      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

"But  others  saw  her!"  the  Queen  rejoined  sharply. 
"  Madame  Paleotti,  who  was  with  the  gentleman,  saw 
her  also,  and  knew  her." 

"  At  a  distance  of  fifty  paces  ?  "  the  King  said  drily. 
"I  don't  attach  much  weight  to  that."  And  then,  ris- 
ing, with  a  slight  yawn.  "  Madame,"  he  continued, 
with  the  air  of  command  which  he  knew  so  well  how  to 
assume,  "for  the  present,  I  am  tired!  If  Madame  de 
Conde  is  here,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  get  further  evi- 
dence of  her  presence.  If  she  is  at  Brussels,  that  fact, 
too,  you  can  ascertain.  Do  the  one  or  the  other,  as  you 
please  ;  but,  for  to-day,  I  beg  that  you  will  excuse  me." 

"And  that,"  the  Queen  cried  shrilly — "that  is  to 
be " 

"All,  madame  !  "  the  King  said  sternly.  "  Moreover, 
let  me  have  no  prating  outside  this  room.  Grand  Mas- 
ter, I  will  trouble  you." 

And  with  these  words,  uttered  in  a  voice  and  with  an 
air  that  silenced  even  the  angry  woman  before  us,  he 
signed  to  me  to  follow  him,  and  went  from  the  room  ; 
the  first  glance  of  his  eye  stilling  the  crowded  ante- 
chamber, as  if  the  shadow  of  death  passed  with  him. 
I  followed  him  to  his  closet ;  but,  until  he  reached  it, 
had  no  inkling  of  what  was  in  his  thoughts.  Then  he 
turned  to  me. 

"Where  is  she  ?  "  he  said  sharply. 

I  stared  at  him  a  moment.  "  Pardon,  sire  !  "  I  said. 
"  Do  you  think  that  it  was  Madame  de  Conde  ?  " 

"Why  not?" 

"  She  is  in  Brussels." 


A T  FONT.  I INEBLE* IU.  3  1 7 

"  I  tell  you  I  saw  her  this  morning  !  "  he  answered. 
"  Go,  learn  all  you  can  !  Find  her  !  find  her  !  If  she 
has  returned,  I  will  —  God  knows  what  I  will  do  !  "  he 
cried,  in  a.  voice  shamefully  broken.  "  Go  ;  and  send 
Varennes  to  me.     I  shall  sup  alone  :  let  no  one  wait." 

I  would  have  remonstrated  with  him,  but  he  was  in 
no  mood  to  bear  it ;  and,  sad  at  heart,  I  withdrew,  feel- 
ing the  perplexity,  which  the  situation  caused  me,  a  less 
heavy  burden  than  the  pain  with  which  I  viewed  the 
change  that  had  of  late  come  over  my  master  ;  convert- 
ing him  from  the  gayest  and  most  debonnaire  of  men 
into  this  morose  and  solitary  dreamer.  Here,  had  I  felt 
any  temptation  to  moralise  on  the  tyranny  of  passion, 
was  the  occasion  ;  but,  as  the  farther  I  left  the  closet 
behind  me  the  more  instant  became  the  crisis,  the  pres- 
ent soon  reasserted  its  power.  Reflecting  that  Henry, 
in  this  state  of  uncertainty,  was  capable  of  the  wildest 
acts,  and  that  not  less  was  to  be  feared  from  his  impru- 
dence than  from  the  Queen's  resentment,  I  cudgelled 
my  brains  to  explain  the  rencontre  of  the  morning  ;  but 
as  the  courier,  whom  I  questioned,  confirmed  the  report 
of  my  agents,  and  asseverated  most  confidently  that 
he  had  left  Madame  in  Brussels,  I  was  flung  back  on 
the  alternative  of  an  accidental  resemblance.  This, 
however,  which  stood  for  a  time  as  the  most  probable 
solution,  scarcely  accounted  for  the  woman's  peculiar 
conduct,  and  quite  fell  to  the  ground  when  La  Trape, 
making  cautious  inquiries,  ascertained  that  no  lady  hunt- 
ing that  day  had  worn  a  yellow  feather.  Again,  there- 
fore, I  found  myself  at  a  loss  ;  and  the  dejection  of  the 


3i8      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

King  and  the  Queen's  ill-temper  giving  rise  to  the  wild- 
est surmises,  and  threatening  each  hour  to  supply  the 
gossips  of  the  Court  with  a  startling  scandal,  the  issue 
of  which  no  one  could  foresee,  I  went  so  far  as  to  take 
into  my  confidence  MM.  Epernon  and  Montbazon  ;  but 
with  no  result. 

Such  being  my  state  of  mind,  and  such  the  suspense 
I  suffered  during  two  days,  it  may  be  imagined  that 
M.  Bassompierre  was  not  more  happy.  Despairing  of 
the  King's  favour  unless  he  could  clear  up  the  matter, 
and  by  the  event  justify  his  indiscretion,  he  became  for 
those  two  days  the  wonder,  and  almost  the  terror,  of  the 
Court.  Ignorant  of  what  he  wanted,  the  courtiers 
found  only  insolence  in  his  mysterious  questions,  and 
something  prodigious  in  an  activity  which  carried  him 
vin  one  day  to  Paris  and  back,  and  on  the  following  to 
every  place  in  the  vicinity  where  news  of  the  fleeting 
beauty  might  by  any  possibility  be  gained  ;  so  that  he 
far  outstripped  my  agents,  who  were  on  the  same  quest. 
But  though  I  had  no  mean  opinion  of  his  abilities,  I 
hoped  little  from  these  exertions,  and  was  proportion- 
ately pleased  when,  on  the  third  day,  he  came  to  me 
with  a  radiant  face  and  invited  me  to  attend  the  Queen 
that  evening. 

"The  King  will  be  there,"  he  said,  "and  I  shall 
surprise  you.  But  I  will  not  tell  you  more.  Come  ! 
and  I  promise  to  satisfy  you." 

And  that  was  all  he  would  say;  so  that,  finding  my 
questions  useless,  and  the  man  almost  frantic  with  joy, 
I  had  to  be  content  with  it  ;  and  at  the  Queen's  hour 


AT  FONTAWEBLEAU.  319 

that    evening   presented   myself    in  her  gallery,    which 
proved  to  be  unusually  full. 

Making  my  way  towards  her  in  some  doubt  of  my 
reception,  I  found  my  worst  fears  confirmed.  She 
greeted  me  with  a  sneering  face,  and  was  preparing,  I 
was  sure,  to  put  some  slight  upon  me  — a  matter  wherein 
she  could  always  count  on  the  applause  of  her  Italian 
servants  —  when  the  entrance  of  the  King  took  her  by 
surprise.  He  advanced  up  the  gallery  with  a  listless  air, 
and,  after  saluting  her,  stood  by  one  of  the  fireplaces 
talking  to  Epernon  and  La  Force.  The  crowd  was 
pretty  dense  by  this  time,  and  the  hum  of  talk  filled  the 
room  when,  on  a  sudden,  a  voice,  which  I  recognised  as 
Bassompierre's,  was  lifted  above  it. 

"Very  well!"  he  cried  gaily,  "then  I  appeal  to  her 
Majesty.  She  shall  decide,  mademoiselle !  No,  no  ;  I 
am  not  satisfied  with  your  claim  !  " 

The  King  looked  that  way  with  a  frown,  but  the 
Queen  took  the  outburst  in  good  part.  "  What  is 
it,  M.  de  Bassompierre  ?  "  she  said.  "  What  am  I  to 
decide  ?  " 

"  To-day,  in  the  forest,  I  found  a  ring,  madame,"  he 
answered,  coming  forward.  "  I  told  Mademoiselle  de  la 
Force  of  my  discovery,  and  she  now  claims  the  ring." 

"  I  once  had  a  ring  like  it,"  cried  mademoiselle, 
blushing  and  laughing. 

"A  sapphire  ring?"  Bassompierre  answered,  holding 
his  hand  aloft. 

"Yes." 

"  With  three  stones  ?  " 


320      MEMOIRS   OF  A  MINISTER    OF  FRANCE. 

-Yes." 

"Precisely,  mademoiselle!"  he  answered,  bowing. 
"  But  the  stones  in  this  ring  are  not  sapphires,  nor  are 
there  three  of  them." 

There  was  a  great  laugh  at  this,  and  the  Queen  said, 
very  wittily,  that  as  neither  of  the  claimants  could 
prove  a  right  to  the  ring  it  must  revert  to  the  judge. 

"In  one  moment  your  Majesty  shall  at  least  see  it," 
he  answered.  "  But,  first,  has  any  one  lost  a  ring  ? 
Oyez  !  Oyez  !  Oyez  !  Lost,  in  the  forest,  within  the 
last  three  days,  a  ring !  " 

Two  or  three,  falling  in  with  his  humour,  set  up  absurd 
claims  to  it  ;  but  none  could  describe  the  ring,  and  in  the 
end  he  handed  it  to  the  Queen.  As  he  did  so  his  eyes 
met  mine  and  challenged  my  attention.  I  was  prepared, 
therefore,  for  the  cry  of  surprise  which  broke  from  the 
Queen. 

"  Why,  this  is  Caterina's  !  "  she  cried.  "  Where  is 
the  child  ? " 

Some  one  pushed  forward  Mademoiselle  Paleotti, 
sister-in-law  to  Madame  Paleotti,  the  Queen's  first 
chamber-woman.  She  was  barely  out  of  her  teens,  and, 
ordinarily,  was  a  pretty  girl  ;  but  the  moment  I  saw  her 
dead-white  face,  framed  in  a  circle  of  fluttering  fans  and 
pitiless,  sparkling  eyes,  I  discerned  tragedy  in  the  farce  ; 
and  that  M.  de  Bassompierre  was  acting  in  a  drama  to 
which  only  he  and  one  other  held  the  key.  The  contrast 
between  the  girl's  blanched  face  and  the  beauty  and 
glitter  in  the  midst  of  which  she  stood  struck  others,  so 
that,  before  another  word  was  said,  I  caught  the  gasp  of 


A  T  FONTAINEBLEA  U.  321 

surprise  that  passed    through  the  room  ;  nor  was  I  the 
only  one  who  drew  nearer. 

"Why,  girl,"  the  Queen  said,  "this  is  the  ring  I  gave 
you  on  my  birthday!  When  did  you  lose  it?  And 
why  have  you  made  a  secret  of  it  ? " 

Mademoiselle  stood  speechless;  but  madame,  her 
sister-in-law,  answered  for  her.  "Doubtless  she  was 
afraid  that  your  Majesty  would  think  her  careless,"  she 
answered. 

"  I  did  not  ask  you  !  "  the  Queen  rejoined. 

She  spoke  harshly  and  suspiciously,  looking  from  the 
ring  to  the  trembling  girl.  The  silence  was  such  that 
the  chatter  of  the  pages  in  the  anteroom  could  be 
heard.     Still  mademoiselle  stood  dumb  and  confounded. 

"Well,  what  is  the  mystery?"  the  Queen  said,  look- 
ing round  with  a  little  wonder.  "  What  is  the  matter  ? 
It  is  the  ring.     Why  do  you  not  own  it  ? " 

"Perhaps  mademoiselle  is  wondering  where  are  the 
other  things  she  left  with  it ! "  Bassompierre  said  in  a 
silky  tone.  "  The  things  she  left  at  Parlot  the  ver- 
derer's,  when  she  dropped  the  ring.  But  she  may  free 
her  mind  ;  I  have  them  here." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  the  Queen  said.  "What 
things,  monsieur  ?     What  has  the  girl  been  doing  ?  " 

"  Only  what  many  have  done  before  her,"  Bassom- 
pierre answered,  bowing  to  his  unfortunate  victim,  who 
seemed  to  be  paralysed  by  terror :  "  masquerading  in 
other  people's  clothes.  I  propose,  madame,  that,  for 
punishment,  you  order  her  to  dress  in  them,  that  we 
may  see  what  her  taste  is." 

Y 


322      MEMOIRS   OF  A   MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

"  I  do  not  understand,"  the  Queen  said. 

"Your  Majesty  will,  if  Mademoiselle  Paleotti  will 
consent  to  humour  us." 

At  that  the  girl  uttered  a  cry,  and  looked  round  the 
circle  as  if  for  a  way  of  escape  ;  but  a  Court  is  a  cruel 
place,  in  which  the  ugly  or  helpless  find  scant  pity.  A 
dozen  voices  begged  the  Queen  to  insist ;  and,  amid 
laughter  and  loud  jests,  Bassompierre  hastened  to  the 
door,  and  returned  with  an  armful  of  women's  gear, 
surmounted  by  a  wig  and  a  feathered  hat. 

"If  the  Queen  will  command  mademoiselle  to  retire 
and  put  these  on,"  he  said,  "  I  will  undertake  to  show  her 
something  that  will  please  her." 

"  Go  !  "  said  the  Queen. 

But  the  girl  at  that  flung  herself  on  her  knees  before 
her,  and,  clinging  to  her  skirts,  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears  and  prayers  ;  while  her  sister-in-law  stepped  for- 
ward as  if  to  second  her,  and  cried  out,  in  great  excite- 
ment, that  her  Majesty  would  not  be  so  cruel  as  to 

"  Hoity,  toity ! "  said  the  Queen,  cutting  her  short 
very  grimly.  "  What  is  all  this  ?  I  tell  the  girl  to  put 
on  a  masquerade  —  which  it  seems  that  she  has  been 
keeping  at  some  cottage  —  and  you  talk  as  if  I  were 
cutting  off  her  head  !  It  seems  to  me  that  she  escapes 
very  lightly !  Go  !  go  !  and  see,  you,  that  you  are  arrayed 
in  five  minutes,  or  I  will  deal  with  you !  " 

"  Perhaps  Mademoiselle  de  la  Force  will  go  with  her, 
and  see  that  nothing  is  omitted,"  Bassompierre  said  with 
malice. 

The  laughter  and  applause  with  which  this  proposal 


AT  FONTAINEBLEAU.  323 

was  received  took  me  by  surprise  ;  but  later  I  learned 
that  the  two  young  women  were  rivals.  "  Yes,  yes," 
the  Queen  said.  "  Go,  mademoiselle,  and  see  that  she 
does  not  keep  us  waiting." 

Knowing  what  I  did,  I  had  by  this  time  a  fair  idea  of 
the  discovery  which  Bassompierre  had  made  ;  but  the 
mass  of  courtiers  and  ladies  round  me,  who  had  not  this 
advantage,  knew  not  what  to  expect  —  nor,  especially, 
what  part  M.  Bassompierre  had  in  the  business  —  but 
made  most  diverting  suggestions,  the  majority  favouring 
the  opinion  that  Mademoiselle  Paleotti  had  repulsed 
him,  and  that  this  was  his  way  of  avenging  himself.  A 
few  of  the  ladies  even  taxed  him  with  this,  and  tried,  by 
random  reproaches,  to  put  him  at  least  on  his  defence ; 
but,  merrily  refusing  to  be  inveigled,  he  made  to  all  the 
same  answer  —  that  when  Mademoiselle  Paleotti  re- 
turned they  would  see.  This  served  only  to  whet  a 
curiosity  already  keen,  insomuch  that  the  door  was 
watched  by  as  many  eyes  as  if  a  miracle  had  been  prom- 
ised ;  and  even  MM.  Epernon  and  Vendome,  leaving 
the  King's  side,  pressed  into  the  crowd  that  they  might 
see  the  better.  I  took  the  opportunity  of  going  to  him, 
and,  meeting  his  eyes  as  I  did  so,  read  in  them  a  look 
of  pain  and  distress.  As  I  advanced  he  drew  back  a 
pace,  and  signed  to  me  to  stand  before  him. 

I  had  scarcely  done  so  when  the  door  opened  and 
Mademoiselle  Paleotti,  pale,  and  supported  on  one  side 
by  her  rival,  appeared  at  it;  but  so  wondrously  trans- 
formed by  a  wig,  hat,  and  redingote  that  I  scarcely 
knew  her.     At  first,  as  she  stood,  looking  with  shamed 


324      MEMOIRS  OF  A  MINISTER   OF  FRANCE. 

eyes  at  the  staring  crowd,  the  impression  made  was 
simply  one  of  bewilderment,  so  complete  was  the  dis- 
guise. But  Bassompierre  did  not  long  surfer  her  to 
stand  so.  Advancing  to  her  side,  his  hat  under  his  arm, 
he  offered  his  hand. 

" Mademoiselle,"  he  said,  "will  you  oblige  me  by 
walking  as  far  as  the  end  of  the  gallery  with  me  ? " 

She  complied  involuntarily,  being  almost  unable  to 
stand  alone.  But  the  two  had  not  proceeded  half-way 
down  the  gallery  before  a  low  murmur  began  to  be 
heard,  that,  growing  quickly  louder,  culminated  in  an 
astonished  cry  of  "Madame  de  Conde !  Madame  de 
Conde ! " 

M.  Bassompierre  dropped  her  hand  with  a  low  bow, 
and  turned  to  the  Queen.  "  Madame,"  he  said,  "  this, 
I  find,  is  the  lady  whom  I  saw  on  the  terrace  when 
Madame  Paleotti  was  so  good  as  to  invite  me  to  walk 
on  the  Bois-le-Roi  road.  For  the  rest,  your  Majesty 
may  draw  your  conclusions." 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  the  Queen  had  already  drawn 
them  ;  but,  for  the  moment,  the  unfortunate  girl  was 
saved  from  her  wrath.  With  a  low  cry,  Mademoiselle 
Paleotti  did  that  which  she  would  have  done  a  little 
before,  had  she  been  wise,  and  swooned  on  the  floor. 

I  turned  to  look  at  the  King,  and  found  him  gone. 
He  had  withdrawn  unseen  in  the  first  confusion  of  the 
surprise  ;  nor  did  I  dare  at  once  to  interrupt  him,  or 
intrude  on  the  strange  mixture  of  regret  and  relief, 
wrath  and  longing,  that  probably  possessed  him  in  the 
silence  of  his  closet.      It  was  enough  for  me  that  the 


But  the  two  had  not  proceeded  half  way  down  the  gallery 


AT  FONTAMEBLEAU.  325 

Italians'  plot  had  failed,  and  that  the  danger  of  a 
rupture  between  the  King  and  Queen,  which  these 
miscreants  desired,  and  I  had  felt  to  be  so  great  and 
imminent,  was,  for  this  time,  overpast. 

The  Paleottis  were  punished,  being  sent  home  in  dis- 
grace, and  a  penury,  which,  doubtless,  they  felt  more 
keenly.  But,  alas,  the  King  could  not  banish  with  them 
all  who  hated  him  and  France ;  nor  could  I,  with  every 
precaution,  and  by  the  unsparing  use  of  all  the  faculties 
that,  during  a  score  of  years,  had  been  at  the  service  of 
my  master,  preserve  him  for  his  country  and  the  world. 
Before  two  months  had  run  he  perished  by  a  mean  hand, 
leaving  the  world  the  poorer  by  the  greatest  and  most 
illustrious  sovereign  that  ever  ruled  a  nation.  And 
men  who  loved  neither  France  nor  him,  entered  into  his 
labours,  whose  end  also  I  have  seen. 


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brought  in  skillfully,  and  the  tragic  and  varied  history  of  the  time  forms  a  splendid  frame  in 
which  to  set  the  picture  of  Marsac's  love  and  courage  ...  the  troublous  days  are  well 
described  and  the  interest  is  genuine  and  lasting,  for  up  to  the  very  end  the  author  manages 
effects  which  impel  the  reader  to  go  on  with  renewed  curiosity."' — The  Nation. 

"  A  genuine  and  admirable  piece  of  work.  .  .  .  The  reader  will  not  turn  marry  pages 
before  he  finds  himself  in  the  grasp  of  a  writer  who  holds  his  attention  to  the  very  last  mo- 
ment of  the  story.     The  spirit  of  adventure  pervades  the  whole  from  beginning  to  end.     .     .     . 

It  may  be  said  that  the  narration  is  a  deli-htful  love  story.  The  interest  of  the  reader 
is  constantly  excited  by  the  development  of  unexpected  turns  in  the  relation  of  the  principal 
lovers.  The  romance  lies  against  a  background  of  history  truly  painted.  .  .  .  The 
descriptions  of  the  court  life  of  the  period  and  of  the  factional  strifes,  divisions,  hatreds  of  th» 
age,  are  fine.  .  .  .  This  story  of  those  times  is  worthy  of  a  very  high  place  among  histori- 
cal novels  of  recent  years."— Public  Opinion. 

"  Bold,  strong,  dashing,  it  is  one  of  the  best  we  have  read  for  many  years.  We  sat  down 
for  a  cursory  perusal,  and  ended  by  reading  it  delightedly  through.  .  .  .  Mr.  Weyman 
has  much  of  the  vigor  and  rush  of  incident  of  Dr.  Conan  Doyle,  and  this  book  ranks  worthiry 
beside  '  The  White  Company.'  .  .  .  We  very  cordially  recommend  this  book  to  the  jaded 
novel  reader  who  cares  for  manly  actions  more  than  for  morbid  introspection." 

— The  Churchman. 

"The  book  is  not  on^  good  literature,  it  is  a  'rattling  good  story,'  instinct  with  the 
spirit  of  true  adventure  and  stirring  emotion.  Of  love  and  peril,  intrigue  and  fighting,  there 
is"  plenty,  and  many  scenes  could  not  have  been  bettered.  In  all  his  adventures,  and  they 
are  many,  Marsac  acts  as  befits  his  epoch  and  his  own  modest  yet  gallant  personality.  Well- 
known  historical  figures  emerge  in  telling  fashion  under  Mr.  Weyman's  discriminating  and 
fascinating  touch." — Athenjeum. 

"  I  cannot  fancy  any  reader,  old  or  young,  not  sharing  with  doughty  Crillon  his  admiration 
for  M.  de  Marsac,  who,  though  no  swashbuckler,  has  a  sword  that  leaps  from  its  scabbard  at  the 
breath  of  insult.  .  .  .  There  are  several  historical  personages  in  the  novel;  there  is,  of 
course,  a  heroine,  of  great  beauty  and  enterprise;  but  that  true  'Gentleman  of  France,' 
M.  de  Marsac,  with  his  perseverance  and  valor,  dominates  them  all." 

—Mr.  James  Payn  in  the  Illustrated  London  News. 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


UNDER    THE    RED    ROBE. 

A    ROMANCE. 
By   STANLEY   J.  WEYMAN, 

L.UTHOR   OF   "A  GENTLEMAN   OF   FRANCE,"    "THE   HOUSE  OF  THE   WOLF,"  ETC. 


With    1  2  Full-page   Illustrations  by  R.  Caton  Woodville. 
1  2mo,  Linen   Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.25. 


"Mr.  Weyman  is  a  brave  writer,  who  imagines  fine  things  and  describes  them 
splendidly.  There  is  something  to  interest  a  healthy  mind  on  every  page  of  his  new- 
story.  Its  interest  never  flags,  for  his  resource  is  rich,  and  it  is,  moreover,  the  kind  of 
a  story  that  one  cannot  plainly  see  the  end  of  from  Chapter  I.  .  .  .  the  story  reveals 
a  knowledge  of  French  character  and  French  landscape  that  was  surely  never  ac- 
quired at  second  hand.  The  beginning  is  wonderfully  interesting."— New  York  Times. 

"  As  perfect  a  novel  of  the  new  school  of  fiction  as  '  Ivanhoe  '  or  '  Henry  Esmond  ' 
was  of  theirs.  Each  later  story  has  shown  a  marked  advance  in  strength  and  treat- 
ment, and  in  the  last  Mr.  Weyman  .  .  .  demonstrates  that  he  has  no  superior 
among  living  novelists.  .  .  .  There  are  but  two  characters  in  the  storv — his  art 
makes  all  other  but  unnoticed  shadows  cast  by  them— and  the  attention  is  so  keenly 
fixed  upon  one  or  both,  from  the  first  word  to  the  last,  that  we  live  in  their  thoughts 
and  see  the  drama  unfolded  through  their  eyes."— N.  Y.  World. 

"  It  was  bold  to  take  Richelieu  and  his  time  as  a  subject  and  thus  to  challenge  com- 
parison with  Dumas's  immortal  musketeers  ;  but  the  result  justifies  the  boldness.  .  .  . 
The  plot  is  admirably  clear  and  strong,  the  diction  singularly  concise  and  telling,  and 
the  stirring  events  are  so  managed  as  not  to  degenerate  into  sensationalism.  Few 
better  novels  of  adventure  than  this  have  ever  been  written. "---Outlook,  New  York. 

"  A  wonderfully  brilliant  and  thrilling  romance.  .  .  .  Mr.  Weyman  has  a  positivp 
talent  for  concise  dramatic  narration.  Every  phrase  tells,  and  the  characters  stanc 
out  with  life-like  distinctness.  Some  of  the  most  fascinating  epochs  in  French  histon 
have  been  splendidly  illuminated  by  his  novels,  which  are  to  be  reckoned  among  the 
notable  successes  of  later  nineteenth-century  fiction.  This  story  of '  Under  the  Red 
Robe'  is  in  its.  way  one  of  the  very  best  things  he  has  done.  It  is  illustrated  with 
vigor  and  appropriateness  from  twelve  full-page  designs  by  R.  Caton  Woodville." 

— Boston  Beacon. 

"  It  is  a  skillfully  drawn  picture  of  the  times,  drawn  in  simple  and  transparen. 
English,  and  quivering  with  tense  human  feeling  from  the  first  word  to  the  last.  It  is 
not  a  book  that  can  be  laid  down  at  the  middle  of  it.  The  reader  once  caught  in  its 
whirl  can  no  more  escape  from  it  than  a  ship  from  the  maelstrom." 

— Picayune,  New  Orleans. 

"  The  'red  robe'  refers  to  Cardinal  Richelieu,  in  whose  day  the  story  is  laid. 
The  descriptions  of  his  court,  his  judicial  machinations  and  ministrations,  his  partial 
defeat,  stand  out  from  the  book  as  vivid  as  flame  against  a  background  of  snow.  For 
the  rest,  the  book  is  clever  and  interesting,  and  overflowing  with  heroic  incident. 
Stanley  Weyman  is  an  author  who  has  apparently  come  to  stay." — Chicago  Post. 

"  In  this  story  Mr.  Weyman  returns  to  the  scene  of  his  '  Gentleman  of  France,' 
although  his  new  heroes  are  of  different  mould.  The  book  is  full  of  adventure  and 
characterized  by  a  deeper  study  of  character  than  its  predecessor." 

— Washington  Post. 

"  Mr.  Weyman  has  quite  topped  his  first  success.  .  .  .  The  author  artfully 
pursues  the  line  on  which  his  happy  initial  venture  was  laid.  We  have  in  Berault,  the 
hero,  a  more  impressive  Marsac ;  an  accomplished  duelist,  telling  the  tale  of  his  own 
adventures,  he  first  repels  and  finally  attracts  us.  He  is  at  once  the  tool  of  Richelieu, 
and  a  man  of  honor.  Here  is  a  noteworthy  romance,  full  of  thrilling  incident  set  down 
by  a  master-hand." — Philadelphia  Press. 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STKEET,  NEW  YORK. 


MY  LADY  ROTHA. 

A  ROMANCE  OF  THE  THIRTY  YEARS'  WAR. 
By  STANLEY  J.  WEYMAN. 

AUTHOR   OF    "A    GENTLKMAN    OF    FRANCE,"    "UNDER     THE     RED    ROBE," 
"THE    HOUSE   OF   THE   WOLF." 


.With  Eight  Illustrations.    Crown  8vo,  $1.25. 


"  Few  writers  of  fiction  who  have  appeared  in  England  in  the  last  decade  have  given 
their  readers  more  satisfaction  than  Mr.  Stanley  J.  We} man,  and  no  single  writer  of  this 
numb  r  can  be  said  to  have  approached  him,  much  less  to  have  equaled  him  in  the  romantic 
world  of  the  historical  novel  ...  he  has  the  art  of  story-telling  in  the  highest  degree, 
the  art  uh  ch  msinctively  divines  the  secret,  the  soul  of  the  story  which  he  tells,  and  the 
rarer  art.  if  it  be  not  the  artlessness,  which  makes  it  as  real  and  as  inevitable  as  life  itself. 
His  characters  are  alive,  human,  unforgetable,  resembling  in  this  *-especl  those  of  Thackeray 
in  historical  ,i  .es  and  in  a  measure  those  of  Dumas,  with  whom,  and  not  inaptly,  Mr.  Wey- 
man has  been  compared.  His  literature  is  good,  so  good  that  we  accept  it  as  a  matter  of 
course,  as  we  do  that  of  Thackeray  and  Scott.  .  .  .  Mr.  Weyman's  historical  novels 
will  live.''— Nkw  York  Mail  and  Express. 

"...  differs  signally  from  Mr.  Weyman's  earlier  published  works.  It  is  treated 
with  the  minuteness  and  lovingness  of  a  first  story  which  has  grown  up  in  the  mind  of  the 
author  for  years.  .  .  .  Marie  Wort  is  one  of  the  bravest  souls  that  ever  moved  quietly 
along  the  pages  of  a  novel.  She  is  so  unlike  the  other  feminine  characters  whom  Weymar. 
has  drawn  that  the  d'ff  rence  is  striking  and  adds  significance  to  this  one  book.  .  .  . 
1  My  Lady  Rotha  '  is  full  of  fascinating  interest,  all  the  more  remarkable  in  a  work  adhering 
so  strictly  to  historical  truth.'' — Evening  Post,  Chicago. 

"This  last  bjok  of  his  is  brimful  of  action,  rushing  forward  with  a  roar,  leaving  the 
reader  breathless  at  the  close  ;  for  if  once  bagun  there  is  no  stopping  place.  The  concep- 
tion is  unique  and  striking,  and  the  culmination  unexpected.  The  author  is  so  saturated 
with  the  spirit  of  the  times  of  which  he  writes,  that  he  merges  his  personality  in  that  of  the 
supposititious  narrator,  and  the  virtues  and  failings  of  his  nv  n  and  women  are  set  forth  in  a 
fashion  which  is  capt.vating  from  its  very  simplicity.      It  is  one  of  his  best  novels." 

— Public  Opinion. 

"Readers  of  Mr.  Weyman's  novels  will  h  ave  no  hesitation  in  pronouncing  his  just  pub- 
lished 'My  Lady  Rotha'  in  everyway  his  greatest  and  most  artistic  production.  We 
know  of  nothing  moie  fit,  both  in  conception  and  execution,  to  be  classed  with  the  immortal 
Wiverleys  than  this  his  latest  work.  ...  A  story  true  to  life  and  true  to  the  times 
which  Mr.  Weyman  has  made  such  a  careful  study."    —The  Advertiser,  Boston. 

"  No  one  of  Mr.  Weyman's  books  is  better  than  '  My  Lady  Rotha  '  unless  it  be  '  Under 
the  Red  Robe,'  and  those  who  have  learned  to  like  his  stories  of  the  old  days  when  might 
made  right  will  appreciate  it  thoroughly.     It  is  a  good  book  to  read  and  read  again." 

— New  York  World. 

"...  As  good  a  tale  of  adventure  as  any  one  need  ask  ;  the  picture  of  those  war- 
like times  is  an  excellent  one,  full  of  life  and  color,  the  blare  of  trumpets  and  the  flash  of 
steel — and  toward  the  close  the  description  of  the  besieeed  city  of  Nuremberg  and  of  the 
battle  under  Wallenstein's  entrenchments  is  masterly." — Boston  Traveller. 

"The  loveliest  and  most  admirable  charac'er  in  the  story  is  that  of  a  young  Catholic  girl, 
while  in  painting  the  cruelties  and  savage  barbarities  of  war  at  that  period  the  brush  is  held 
by  an  impartial  hand.  Books  of  adventure  and  romance  are  apt  to  be  cheap  and  sensational. 
Mr.  Weyman's  stories  are  worth  tons  of  such  stuff.  They  are  thrilling,  exciting,  absorbing, 
interesting,  and  yet  clear,  strong,  and  healthy  in  tone,  written  by  a  gentleman  and  a  man  ol 
sen-e  and  taste.'' — Sacked  Heart  Review,  Boston. 

"  Mr.  Weyman  has  outdone  himself  in  this  remarkable  book.  .  .  .  The  whole  story 
is  told  with  consummate  skill.  The  plot  is  artistically  devised  and  enrolled  before  the  read- 
er's eyes.  1'he  language  is  simple  and  apt,  nnd  the  descriptions  are  graphic  and  terse.  The 
charm  of  the  story  tikes  hold  of  the  reader  on  the  very  first  page,  and  holds  him  spell-bound 
to  the  very  end." — New  Orleans  Picayune. 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STKEET,  NEW  YOKX. 


MONTEZUMA'S    DAUGHTER. 

By  H.  RIDER  HAGGARD, 

AUTHOR    OF  "SHE,"  "ALLAN   QUATERMAIN,"   "  NADA   THE    LILY,"  ETC. 


With  24  full-page  Illustrations  and  Vignette  by  Maurice 
Greiffenhagen.      Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  $1.00. 

"  Adventures  that  stir  the  reader's  blood  and,  like  magic  spells,  hold  his  attention  with 
power  so  strong  that  only  the  completion  of  the  novel  can  satisfy  his  interest.  ...  In 
this  novel  the  motive  of  revenge  is  treated  with  a  subtle  power  .  .  .  this  latest  production 
of  Mr.  Haggard  blends  with  the  instruction  of  the  historical  novel  the  charm  of  a  splendid 
romance.'" — Public  Opinion. 

"  Mr.  Haggard  has  done  nothing  better  ...  it  may  well  be  doubted  if  he  has  ever 
done  anything  half  so  good.  The  tale  is  one  of  the  good,  old-fashioned  sort,  filled  wnh  the 
elements  of  romance  and  adventure,  and  it  moves  on  from  one  thrilling  situation  to  another 
with  a  celerity  and  verisimilitude  that  positively  fascinate  the  reader.  .  .  .  The  story  is 
told  with  astonishing  variety  of  detail,  and  in  its  main  lines  keeps  close  to  historical  truth. 
The  author  has  evidently  written  with  enthusiasm  and  entire  love  of  his  theme,  and  the  result 
is  a  really  splendid  piece  of  romantic  literature.  The  illustrations,  by  Maurice  Greiffenliagen, 
are  admirable  in  spirit  and  technique." — Boston  Beacon. 

"  Has  a  good  deal  of  the  quality  that  lent  such  interest  to  '  King  Solomon's  Mines '  and 
'Allan  Quatermain.'  .  .  .  England,  Spain,  and  the  country  which  is  now  Mexico  afford 
the  field  of  the  story,  and  a  great  number  of  most  romantic  and  blood-stirring  activities  occur 
in  each  ...  a  successful  story  well  constructed,  full  of  devious  and  exciting  action, 
and  we  believe  that  it  will  find  a  multitude  of  appreciative  readers." — Sun,  N.  Y. 

'  It  is  a  tale  of  adventure  and  romance,  with  a  fine  historical  setting  and  with  a  vivid 
reproduction  of  the  manners  and  people  of  the  age.  The  plot  is  handled  with  dexterity  and 
skill,  and  the  reader's  interest  is  always  seen.  There  is,  it  should  also  be  noted,  nothing  like 
vulgar  sensationalism  in  the  treatment,  and  the  literary  quality  is  sound  throughout. 

Among  the  very  best  stories  of  love,  war,  and  romance  that  have  been  written." 

— The  Outlook. 

"  Is  the  latest  and  best  of  that  popular  writer's  works  of  fiction.  It  enters  a  new 
field  not  before  touched  by  previous  tales  from  the  same  author.  In  its  splendor  of  descrip- 
tion, weirdness  of  imagery,  and  wealth  of  startling  incidents  it  rivals  '  King  Solomon's  Mines  ' 
and  other  earlier  stories,  but  shows  superior  strength  in  many  respects,  and  presents  novelty 
of  scene  that  must  win  new  and  more  enduring  fame  for  its  ta'ented  creator.  ...  T  he 
analysis  of  human  motives  and  emotions  is  more  subtle  in  this  work  than  in  any  previous 
production  by  Mr.  Haggard.  The  story  will  generally  be  accorded  highest  literary  rank 
among  the  author's  works,  and  will  prove  of  fascinating  interest  to  a  host  of  readers." 

— Minneapolis  Spectator. 

"  Is  full  of  the  magnificence  of  the  Aztec  reign,  and  is  quite  as  romantic  and  unbelievable 
as  the  most  fantastic  of  his  earlier  creations." — Book  Buyfr. 

"We  should  be  disposed  to  rank  this  volume  next  to  'King  Solomon's  Mines'  in  order 
of  interest  and  merit  among  the  author's  works." — Litfrary  World.  Boston. 

"  It  is  decidedly  the  most  powerful  and  enjoyable  book  that  Mr.  Rider  Haggard  has 
written,  with  the  single  exception  of 'Jess.'  " — Acadfmv. 

"  Mr.  Haggard  has  rarely  done  anything  better  than  this  romantic  and  interesting  narra- 
tive. Throughout  the  story  we  ae  hurried  from  one  thrilling  experience  to  another,  and  the 
whole  book  is  written  at  a  level  of  sustained  passion,  which  gives  it  a  very  absorbing  hold  on 
our  imagination.     A  special  word  of  praise  ought  to  be  given  to  the  excellent  illustrations." 

.,  _.    ,  .     ,  .   „   ,  ,  .  — Daily  Telegraph. 

Perhaps  the  best  01  all  the  author  s  stories. 

The  great  distinguishing  quality  of  Rider  Haggard  is  this  magic  power  of  seizing  and 
holding  his  readers  so  that  they  become  absorb'  d  and  abstracted  from  all  earthly  things  while 
their  eyes  devour  the  page.  ...  A  romance  must  have 'grip.'  .  .  .  This  romance 
possesses  the  quality  of  'grip'  in  an  eminent  degree." — Walter  Bksant  in  the  Auih<  r. 

"The  story  is  both  graphic  and  exciting,  .  .  .  and  tells  of  the  invasion  of  Cortes; 
but  there  are  antecedent  passages  in  England  and  Spain,  for  the  hero  is  an  F.nrli>h  adven- 
turer who  finds  his  way  through  Spain  to  Mexico  on  a  vengeful  quest.  The  vengeance  is  cer- 
tainly satisfactory,  but  it  is  not  reached  until  the  hero  has  had  as  surprising  a  series  of  penli 
and  escapes  as  even  the  fertile  imagination  of  the  author  ever  devised." — Dial,  Chicago. 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  TOEK, 


THE    PEOPLE    OF    THE    MIST 

By  II.  RIDER   HAGGARD, 

AUTHOR  OF   "  SHE,"  "  ALLAN  QUATERMAIN,"  "  MONTEZUMA'S  DAUGHTER,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


With   16  full-page   Illustrations    by   Arthur   Layard.      Crown 
8vo,  cloth,  ornamental,  $1.25. 


"  Out  of  Africa,  as  all  men  know,  the  thing  that  is  new  is  ever  forthcoming.  The  olo. 
style  is  true  with  regard  to  Mr.  Haggard's  romances,  and  everybody  concerned  is  to  be  con- 
gratulated upon  the  romancer's  return  to  the  magical  country  where  lies  the  land  of  Kor. 
Africa  is  Mr.  Haggard's  heaven  of  invention.  Let  him  be  as  prodigal  as  he  may,  thence 
flows  an  exhaustless  stream  of  romance,  rich  in  wonders  new  and  astonishing.  '  The  People 
of  the  Mist '  belongs  to  the  sphere  of  '  She '  in  its  imaginative  scope,  and,  as  an  example  of 
the  story-teller's  art,  must  be  reckoned  of  the  excellent  company  of  '  King  Solomon's 
Mines  '  and  its  brethren.  We  read  it  at  one  spell,  as  it  were,  hardly  resisting  that  effect  of 
fascination  which  invites  you,  at  the  critical  moments  of  the  story,  to  plunge  ahead  at  a 
venture  to  know  what  is  coming,  and  be  resolved  as  to  some  harrowing  doubt  of  dilemma. 
There  is  no  better  test  of  the  power  of  a  story  than  this.     .     .     ."—Saturday  Review. 

"  The  lawyer,  the  physician,  the  business  man,  the  teacher,  find  in  these  novels,  teem- 
ing with  life  and  incident,  precisely  the  medicine  to  rest  tired  brains  and  '  to  take  them  out  of 
themselves.'  There  is,  perhaps,  no  writer  of  this  present  time  whose  works  are  read  more 
generally  and  wit  i  keener  pleasure.  The  mincing  words,  the  tedious  conversations,  the 
prolonged  agony  of  didactic  discussion,  characteristic  of  the  ordinary  novel  of  the  time,  find 
no  place  in  the  crisp,  bright,  vigorous  pages  of  Mr.  Haggard's  books.  .  .  .  '  The  People 
of  the  Mist' is  what  we  expect  and  desire  from  the  pen  of  this  writer  ...  a  deeply 
interesting  novel,  a  fitting  companion  to  '  Allan  Quatermain.'  "—Public  Opinion. 

"  The  story  of  the  combat  between  the  dwarf  Otter  and  the  huge  '  snake,'  a  crocodile 
of  antediluvian  proportions,  and  the  following  account  of  the  escape  of  the  Outram  party, 
is  one  of  the  best  pieces  of  dramatic  fiction  which  Mr.  Haggard  has  ever  written."— Bos- 
ton Advertiser. 

"  One  of  his  most  ingenious  fabrications  of  marvellous  adventure,  and  so  skilfully  is  it 
done  that  the  reader  loses  sight  of  the  improbability  in  the  keen  interest  of  the  tale.  Two 
loving  and  beautiful  women  figure  in  the  narrative,  and  in  his  management  of  the  heroine 
and  her  rival  the  author  shows  his  originality  as  well  as  in  the  sensational  element  which  is 
his  peculiar  province." — Boston  Beacon. 

'"The  People  of  the  Mist'  is  the  best  novel  he  has  written  since  'She,'  and  it  runs 
that  famous  romance  very  close  indeed.  The  dwarf  Otter  is  fully  up  to  the  mark  of  Rider 
Haggard's  best  character,  and  his  fight  with  the  snake  god  is  as  powerful  as  anything  the 
author  has  written.  The  novel  abounds  in  striking  scenes  and  incidents,  and  the  read- 
er's interest  is  never  allowed  to  flag  The  attack  on  the  slave  kraal  and  the  rescue  of  Juanna 
are  in  Mr.  Haggard's  best  vein."— Charleston  News. 

"  It  has  all  the  dash  and  go  of  Haggard's  other  tales  of  adventure,  and  few  readers  will 
be  troubled  over  the  impossible  things  in  the  story  as  they  follow  the  exciting  exploits  of  the 
hero  and  his  redoubtable  dwarf  Otter.  .  .  .  Otter  is  a  character  worthy  to  be  classed 
with  Umslopogus,  the  great  Zulu  warrior.  Haggard  has  never  imagined  anything  more  ter- 
ror-inspiring than  the  adventures  of  Leonard  and  his  party  in  the  awful  palace  of  the  Chil- 
dren of  Mist,  nor  has  he  ever  described  a  more  thrilling  combat  than  that  between  the  dwarf 
and  the  huge  water  snake  in  the  sacred  pool."— San  Francisco  Chronicle. 

"  It  displays  all  of  this  popular  author's  imagery,  power  to  evoke  and  combine  miraculous 
incidents,  and  skill  in  analyzing  human  motives  and  emotions  in  the  most  striking  manner. 
He  is  not  surpassed  by  any  modern  writer  of  fiction  for  vividness  of  description  or  keenness 
rrf  perception  and  boldness  of  characterization.  The  reader  will  find  here  the  same  qualities 
in  full  measure  that  stamped  '  King  Solomon's  Mines,'  'Jess,'  '  She,'  and  his  other  earlier 
romances  with  their  singular  power.  The  narrative  is  a  series  of  scenes  and  pictures  ;  the 
events  are  strange  to  the  verge  of  ghoulishness  ;  the  action  of  the  story  is  tireless,  and  the 
reader  is  held  as  with  a  grip  not  to  be  shaken  off." — Boston  Courier. 

"  Sometimes  we  are  reminded  of '  King  Solomon's  Mines  '  and  sometimes  of  She,'  but  the 
mixture  has  the  same  elements  of  interest,  dwells  in  the  same  strange  land  of  mystery  and 
adventure,  and  appeals  to  the  same  public  that  Lays  and  reads  Mr.  Haggard's  works  for  the 
sake  of  the  rapid  adventure,  the  strong  handling  of  improbable  incident,  and  the  fascination 
of  the  supernatural." — Baltimore  Sun. 


LONGMANS,  GKEEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YOKE. 


HEART   OF  THE    WORLD- 

A     STORY     OF     MEXICAN     ADVENTURE. 

By  H.  RIDER  HAGGARD, 

AUTHOR    OF    "SHE,"    "  MONTEZUMA'S    DAUGHTER,"    "  THE    PEOPLE    OF   THE    MIST,"    ETC. 


With    1  3  full-page   Illustrations  by  Amy  Sawyer 
12mo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.25. 


"  The  adventures  of  Ignatio  and  his  white  friend  will  compare  for  strangeness  with  any 
that  the  writer  has  imagined.  And  the  inveni  ion  of  the  city  ana  people  of  the  heart,  ot  lhe 
secret  order,  with  its  ritu.d  and  history,  and  the  unforeseen  crisis  of  the  tale,  shows  that  the 
q  lality  that  most  distinguishes  the  author's  former  works  is  still  his  in  abundance.  .  .  . 
The  tale  as  a  whole  is  so  effective  that  we  willingly  overlook  its  improbability,  and  so  ncvel 
that  even  those  who  have  read  all  of  Rider  Haggard's  former  works  will  still  find  something 
surprising  in  this.'" — The  Critic. 

"  Here  are  strange  adventures  and  wonderful  heroisms.  The  scene  is  laid  in  Mexico. 
The  story  rehearses  the  adventures  of  an  athletic  Englishman  who  loves  and  weds  an 
Indian  princess.  There  are  marvelous  descriptions  of  the  '  City  of  the  Heart,'  a  mysteri- 
ous town  hemmed  in  by  swamps  and  unknown  mountains." 

— Commercial  Advertiser,  New  York. 

"  Has  a  rare  fascination,  and  in  using  that  theme  Mr.  Haggard  has  not  only  hit  upon 
a  story  of  peculiar  charm,  but  he  has  also  wrought  out  a  story  original  and  dt  lightful  to 
even  the  most  jaded  reader  of  the  novel  of  incident."— Advertiser,  Boston. 

"  Tt  is  a  fascinating  tale,  and  the  reader  will  not  want  to  put  the  book  down  till  he  has 
read  the  last  word.'" — Picayune,  New  Orleans. 

"The  lovers  of  Rider  Haggsrd's  glowing  works  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  his  latest 
book.  .  .  .  The  story  is,  all  in  all,  one  of  the  most  entertaining  of  the  author's  whole 
list." — Traveller,   Boston. 

"  In  its  splendor  of  description,  weirdness  of  imagery,  its  astonishing  variety  of  detail, 
and  the  love  story  which  blends  with  history  and  fantasy,  the  book  without  doubt  is  a 
creation  distinct  frurn  previous  tales.  Maya,  the  Lady  of  the  Heart,  is  an  ideal  character. 
.     .     .     Interest  is  sustained  throughout." — Post,  Chicago. 

"  The  success  of  Mr.  Haggard's  stories  consists  in  the  spirit  of  adventure  which  runs 
through  them,  in  their  rapid  succession  of  incidents  in  the  bustle  which  animates  their 
characters,  and  in  the  trying  situations  in  which  they  are  placed.  .  .  .  this  last  story 
.  .  .  introduces  his  readers  ...  to  a  comparatively  new  field  of  fiction  in  the  evolu- 
tion of  an  ancient  Aztec  tradition  concerning  the  concealed  existence  of  a  wonderful  Golden 
City.     .     .     ." — Mail  and  Express,   New  York. 

"A  thrilling  story  of  adventure  in  Mexico.  It  is  doubt'ul  if  he  has  surpa>sed  in  vivid 
coloring  his  delineation  of  the  character  of 'Maya.'  This  work  is  really  a  notable  addition 
to  the  great  body  of  romance  with  which  his  name  is  associated." — Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  This  romance  is  really  one  of  the  best  he  has  given  us." — Times,  Philadelphia. 

"  When  the  love  of  romance  shall  die  in  the  human  heart  we  may  bid  farewell  to  a'l  that 
is  best  in  fiction.  ...  In  this  story  we  have  the  same  reckless  dash  of  imaginat  on  and 
the  same  gorgeous  profusion  of  barbaric  scenes  and  startling  adventure  which  have  always 
characterized  Mr.   Haggard's  works.''  —Independent,  New  Yokk. 

"  His  latest,  and  one  of  his  most  powerful  stories.  It  shows  the  same  trenchant,  effective 
way  of  dealing  with  his  story  ;  and  the  same  power  in  open,  startling  situations.  It  will 
give  the  reader  some  new  idea  of  that  ancient  peonle,  the  Aztecs,  as  well  as  of  the  more  mod- 
ern Mexicans.     It  is  as  strong  as  '  King  Solomon's  Mines.'  '—Times,  Hartford. 


LONGMANS,  GEEEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STEEET,  NEW  Y0EE\ 


WHAT    NECESSITY    KNOWS 

A  Novel  of  Canadian  Life  and  Character. 


By  MISS   L.    DOUGALL, 

AUTHOR    OF   "  BEGGARS   ALL." 


Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  $1.00. 

*'•  A  very  remarkable  novel,  and  not  a  book  that  can  be  lightly  classified  or  ranged  with 
Other  modern  works  of  fiction.  .  .  .  It  is  a  distinct  creation  ...  a  structure  of 
noble  and  original  design  and  of  grand  and  dignified  conception.  .  .  .  The  book  bristles 
with  epigrammatic  sayings  which  one  would  like  to  remember.  ...  It  will  appeal 
Strongly  by  force  of  its  originality  and  depth  of  insight  and  for  the  eloquence  and  dignity  of 
style  in  the  descriptive  passages." — Manchester  Guardian,  London. 

*'  We  thin'<  we  are  well  within  the  mark  in  saying  that  this  novel  is  one  of  the  three  or 
four  best  novels  of  the  year.  The  social  atmosphere  as  well  as  the  external  conditions  of 
Canadian  life  are  reproduced  faithfully.  The  author  is  eminently  thoughtful,  yet  the  story 
is  not  distinctively  one  of  moral  purpose.  The  play  of  character  and  the  clash  of  purpose  are 
finely  wrought  out.  .  .  .  What  gives  the  book  its  highest  value  is  really  the  author's 
deep  knowledge  of  motive  and  character.  The  reader  continually  comes  across  keen  obser- 
vations and  subtle  expressions  that  not  infrequently  recall  George  Eliot.  The  novel  is  one 
that  is  worth  reading  a  second  time."- Outlook,  New  York. 

"  Keen  analysis,  d-^eu  spiritual  insight,  and  a  quick  sense  of  beauty  in  nature  and 
human  nature  are  combined  to  uut  before  us  a  drama  of  human  life  .  .  .  the  book  is  not 
inly  interesting  but  stimulating,  not  only  strong  but  suggestive,  and  we  may  say  of  the 
writer,  in  Sidney  Lanier's  words,  '  She  shows  man  what  he  may  be  in  terms  of  what  he  is. 

—Literary  World,  Boston. 

NADA   THE    LILY; 

By  H.  RIDER  HAGGARD, 

AUTHOR  OF   "  SHE,"   *'  ALLAN  QUATERMAIN,"   ETC. 


With    23  full-page    Illustrations,   by   C.  H.  M.  Kerr. 
1  2mo,  Cloth,  Ornamental  (Copyright),  $  1  .OO. 

"  A  thrilling  book  full  .  .  .  of  almost  incredible  instances  of  personal  daring  and  of 
wonderful  revenge.  .  .  .  The  many  vigorous  illustrations  add  much  to  the  interest  of  a 
book  that  may  safely  be  denominated  as  Mr.  Haggard's  most  successful  venture  in  the 
writing  of  fiction."— Boston  Beacon. 

"  The  story  of  '  Nada  the  Lily '  is  full  of  action  and  adventure;  the  plot  is  cleverly 
-vrought  and  the  fighting  and  adventure  are  described  with  spirit.  Once  begun  it  is,  indeed, 
a  story  to  be  finished."— N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  The  story  is  a  magnifice.it  effort  of  the  imagination  and  quite  the  best  of  all  that  Mr. 
Haggard  has  done.  There  is  no  example  of  manufactured  miracle  in  this  story,  for  the  story 
of  the  Ghost  mountain,  the  Stone  Witch,  and  the  Wolves  is  nothing  but  the  folk-lore  of  the 
African  tribes,  and  in  no  respect  similar  to  the  wonders  which  the  author  introduced  into 
the  stories  in  which  Allan  Quatermain  figures."— Springfield  Republican. 

"  To  my  mind  the  realization  of  savage  existence  and  the  spirit  of  it  have  never  been  so 
hon;stly  and  accurately  set  forth.  The  Indians  of  Chateaubriand,  and  even  of  Cooper,  are 
conventional  compared  with  these  blood-thirsty,  loyal,  and  fatalistic  Zulus.  .  .  .  The 
whole  legend  seems  to  me  to  be  a  curiously  veracious  reproduction  of  Zulu  life  and  character." 

— Mr.  Andrew  Lang  in  the  New  Review. 

"Rider  Haggard's  latest  story  .  .  .  has  a  more  permanent  value  than  anything 
this  prolific  author  has  previously  given  to  the  public.  He  has  preserved  in  this  latest 
romance  many  of  the  curious  tales,  traditions,  superstitions,  the  wonderful  folk-lore  of  a 
nation  now  extinct,  a  people  rapidly  melting  away  before  an  advancing  tide  of  civilization. 
The  romance  into  which  Mr.  Haggard  has  woven  valuable  material  is  in  his  own  inimitable 
style,  and  will  delight  those  who  love  the  weirdly  improbable."— Boston  Traveller. 


LONGMANS,  GBEEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STEEETV  NEW  YORK. 


THE  MATCHMAKER. 

A    NOVEL. 
By  MRS.  L.  B.  WALFORD. 


Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $  1  .50. 


"  A  new  novel  by  the  author  of  'The  Baby's  Grandmother'  and  '  Mr.  Smith'  is  always 
eage.ly  anticipated  by  tho.->e  who  enjoy  a  love  story  told  with  a  charming  freshness  of  style, 
with  a  satirical  vet  good-natured  treatment  of  human  foibles,  and  wita  a  vivid,  witty,  and 
animating  use  of  that  sentiment  which  'makes  the  world  go  round.'  .  .  .  'The  Match- 
maker' gives  a  piquant  hint  of  the  plot.  It  wi.l  be  found  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  its 
author  s  works,  and  comes  in  good  time  to  amuse  people  worn  by  summer  weather." 

—  New  York  Tribune. 

"  We  are  sure  that  anything  from  the  pen  of  L.  B.  Walford  will  be  interesting  and 
original.  There  is  always  enough  romance  about  these  novels  to  keep  them  from  any  sign  of 
dullness,  and  they  always  include  some  very  uncommon  types  well  worth  studying.  The 
Carnoustie  family  in  the  present  instance  is  one  to  keep  the  reader  constantly  on  the  qui 
vive    ...     a  well-told,  entertaining  story  of  interesting  people." 

— Detroit  Free  Press. 

"Sure  to  find  a  large  circle  of  refined  and  intelligent  readers.  The  story  is  constantly 
lighted  up  with  touches  of  humor,  and  the  picture  of  simple  family  life  and  the  feminine  occu- 
pations it  affords  is  natural  and  entertaining." — Beacon,  Boston. 

"...  A  fresh  and  interesting  picture  of  life  in  a  Scottish  castle,  and  introduces 
many  characters  notable  for  the  faithfulness  to  nature  with  which  they  are  drawn.  The  inci- 
dents are  interesting  enough  to  fix  the  attention  of  the  reader  and  to  hold  it  until  the  closing 
chapter.'' — The  Advertiser,  Portland. 

"Tells  vvhat  befell  a  gay  London  girl  during  her  six  months'  sojourn  in  the  Scotch  castle 
of  some  old  fashioned  relatives.  .  .  .  The  story  is  a  good  one,  much  the  best  of  it  being 
the  delineation  of  the  stiff-necked  Carnoustie  family,  and  its  magisterial  dowager  and  its 
pathetic  and  comical  old  maids."— Boston  Traveller. 


NOVELS   BY    MRS.   L.   B.   WALFORD. 


In  Uniform  Binding.    Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  each  Volume,  $1  .00. 


COUSINS. 

THE    BABY'S     GRAND- 
MOTHER. 

PAULINE. 

NAN. 

THE  HISTORY  OF  A  WEEK. 


TROUBLESOME  DAUGH- 
TERS. 

MR.   SMITH. 

DICK    NETHERBY. 

A  STIFF-NECKED  GEN- 
ERATION. 

THE  MISCHIEF  OF  MONICA 


LONGMANS,  GKEEN,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


DOREEN. 

THE  STORY  OF  A  SINGER. 
By  EDNA  LYALL, 

lUTHOB    OF    "WB    TWO,"     "DONOVAN,"     "THE    AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OP     A    SLANDER, 
UIN  THE  GOLDEN  DAYS,"   ETC.,  ETC. 


Crown  8vo,  Buckram  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.50. 


"  Edna  Lyall  has  evidently  made  a  close  study  of  the  Irish  question,  and  she  sees 
ts  varying  aspects  and  problems  with  a  desire  to  do  justice  to  all,  while  she  stands 
(irmly  on  her  own  principles.  .  .  .  There  is  much  to  recommend  in  Edna  Lyall's 
books,  and  her  admirers  are  many.  The  book  will  be  read  with  interest.  .  .  It  is 
yet  well  written  and  comprehensive,  treating  of  universal  principles  in  a  broad  way 
and  presenting  characters  in  whom  one  becomes  interested  for  their  own  sake  " 

—Literary  World,  Boston. 

"  A  plot  which  has  original  life  and  vigor.  .  .  .  Altogether  a  good  novel,  and  if 
the  author  has  written  nothing  else  she  could  safely  rest  her  literary  reputation  on 
1  Doreen.'  "—Public  Opinion,  N.  Y. 

"  Edna  Lyall's  .  .  .  new  story  ...  is  one  of  her  best.  It  has,  naturally, 
enough  of  tragedy  to  make  it  intensely  interesting  without  being  sensational  in  a?r; 
offensive  sense.  The  heroine,  Doreen,  is  a  delightful  character,  sturdy,  strong,  lovable, 
womanly,  and  genuinely  Irish.  Miss  Bayly  is  a  conscientious  writer,  imbued  «r*th 
deep  feeling,  a  high  purpose,  and  her  style  is  attractive  and  pure." 

—Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

"  The  heroine  is  a  most  winsome  Irish  maiden  with  an  exquisite  voice,  and  she 
comes  bravely  out  of  the  involved  dramatic  situation  in  which  she  is  placed  by  an  early 
vow."— Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  It  is  a  very  clever  story  indeed,  and  skillfully  written.  The  heroine  is  a  bright 
and  beautiful  Irish  girl,  and  a  musician." — New  Orleans  Picavune. 

"  A  very  interesting  story  and  is  full  of  interesting  and  exciting  incidents,  and  its 
characters  are  well  drawn  and  sustained  throughout  the  book.  It  is  tastefully  bound 
and  will  doubtless  prove  popular  with  this  writer's  many  admirers." 

— Portland  Advertiser. 

"Doreen,  the  heroine  of  this  latest  novel  of  Edna  Lyall,  is  an  Irish  girl,  gentle, 
kind,  and  modest,  but  brave,  resolute,  and  unflinching  when  there  is  a  question  of 
those  whom  she  loves,  of  right  or  wrong,  or  of  the  welfare  of  the  country  which  she 
holds  dearest  of  all.  .  .  .  The  book  is  thoroughly  wholesome,  good,  and  interesting 
Miss  Lyall  writes  of  Ireland,  of  Irish  ways  and  feelings,  as  well  as  of  Catholic  beliefs 
and  customs,  with  knowledge  and  symoathy.  .  .  .  The  volume  is  tastefully  bound 
.    .    .    well  printed  and  convenient  to  handle  and  to  read." 

—The  Sacred  Heart  Review,  Boston 

"  The  heroine,  clever,  patriotic,  self-denying,  is  worthy  of  the  name,  and  the  here 
is  equally  excellent.  ...  An  interesting  novel,  a  good  picture  of  a  bright,  pure 
minded,  high-hearted  heroine."— Boston  Pilot. 

"  This  is  perhaps  one  of  the  best  of  Edna  Lyall's  clever  stories.  Doreen  is  a  young 
Irish  girl,  who  loves  her  native  land,  and  who  is  a  credit  to  her  race.  .  .  .  Inter 
woven  with  the  story  of  her  experience  and  of  her  love  for  a  young  Englishman  is  an 
interesting  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Home  Rule  movement.  Miss  Lyall's 
book  is  a  charming  tale,  and  will  not  fail  to  delight  every  one  who  reads  it.  The  girl 
Doreen  is  a  beautiful  character." — Catholic  News. 

"The  time  is  the  present,  the  scene  is  laid  in  Ireland  and  England,  and  Doreenj 
the  heroine,  is  a  charming  Irish  girl,  devoted  to  her  country  and  her  oppressw 
countrymen.  .  .  .  The  story  is  attractively  told  and  a  very  impartial  vHw  of  tht 
Irish  question  is  taken.  .  .  .  Doreen  is  a  most  attractive  character,  refreshingly 
simple  i^id  natural,  and  yet  with  a  decided  personality  of  her  own.  ...  A  whole 
some,  well-written  story,  and  free  from  anv  touch  of  atheism," — Chicago  Inter-Ocean 


LONG-MANS,  GREEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


MICAH   CLARKE. 

His  statement  as  made  to  his  three   Grandchildren,  Joseph,  Gervas,  and 
Reuben,  during  the  hard  Winter  of  1734. 

By   A.    CONAN    DOYLE, 

AUTHOR  OP  "THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  POLE-STAK,"  "THE  REFUGEES,"  ETC. 


Author's  Edition.     Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.25. 

"  The  language  has  the  quaintness  of  old  times,  and  the  descriptions  are  so  vivid  anu 
home-like  as  to  make  us  feel  tnat  we  are  listening  to  them  ourselves  ;  indeed,  the  story  stands 
very  hi^h  among  historical  novels,  and  will  be  of  great  interest  to  any  one  who  has  lolloped 
the  more  critical  setting  forth  of  the  troubles  preceding  the  Restoration  found  in  the  regular 
histories.     The  author  has  succeeded  in  giving  us  the  genuine  flavor  ol  former  uays.'' 

—  Public  Opinion. 

"...     There  is  a  great  deal  of  vivid,  thrilling  description.'' — The  Nation. 

"  Wonderfully  vivid  and  realistic,  full  of  the  color  of  the  time,  and  chai  acterized  by  re- 
markable power,  .  .  .  there  are  so  many  pieces  of  excellent  workmanship  in  Micah 
Clarke'  that  it  would  take  too  long  to  name  them." — N.  Y.  Tribune. 

"  We  make  bold  to  say  that  .  .  .  this  story  of  Mr.  Doyle's  is  easily  the  best  exam- 
ple of  the  class  of  fiction  to  which  it  belongs  of  the  year.  Two  descriptions  of  battles  in 
this  story  are,  it  seems  to  us,  among  the  most  brilliant  and  spirited  bits  of  writing  we  have 
lately  had.  But  it  is  n  t  merely  two  or  three  striking  incidents,  but  the  maintained  interest 
of  the  entire  taler  that  leads  us  to  give  it  «uch  praise  as  we  have  risked  above.  We  shall 
look  with  interest  for  a  second  story  from  Mr.  Doyle's  pen."— Christian  Union. 

"  It  is  due  to  the  dramatic  power  of  the  author  that  this  story  becomes  so  absorbing. 
There  is  quickness  and  viva  ity  i"  it,  and  the  story  of  th-  soldier  of  fortune  of  that  day, 
Saxon,  why  has  acquired  this  military  art  in  Germany,  is  capitally  told.  .  .  •  Mr. 
Doyle  never  pauses   and  sc  the  reader  can  30  at  full  gallop  through  the  story." — N.  Y.  Times. 


THE   CAPTAIN    OF   THE    POLE-STAR 

And  Other  Tales. 

By   A.    CONAN    DOYLE. 


Crown     8vo,    cloth,    $1.25. 


"  Lovers  of  wild  adventure,  of  brilliant  satire,  of  quiet  pathos,  will  all  find  wherewith  to 
be  content  in  the  little  book,  wmch,  in  its  variety  of  subject  and  treatment,  reads  more  like  a 
volume  of  stories  from  Maga  than  a  collection  of  tales  from  one  of  the  same  pen." 

— Athen^UM,   London. 
"This  volume  of  short  siories  proves  Mr.  Doyle  to  be  an  expert  of  the  most  delightful 
and  skillfull  kind  in   tales  of  mystery,  imagination,  and   fancy.     .     .  The  book  forms  a 

most  delightful  addition  to  the  too  poor  literatuie  of  good  short  stories." 

— Scotsman  Athe^^um. 

"All  the  stories  will  repay  careful  reading,  as  in  addition  to  the  interest  of  the  plots 
fhe  style  is  singularly  varied  and  revea  s  as  many  devices  of  the  literary  artist  as  that  of 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson.'' — San  Francisco  Chronicle. 


LONGMANS,  3KEEN,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STKEET,  NEW  YOEK. 


COLONEL    NORTON. 

A  NOVEL. 
By    FLORENCE    MONTGOMERY, 

AUTHOR   OF    "MISUNDERSTOOD,"    "THROWN   TOGETHER,"    ETC.,   ETC. 


Crown   8vo,   Buckram,   $1.50. 

"  It  is  a  history  of  the  finding:  of  a  soul,  which  is  only  found  through  the  passion  of 
a  great  love  or  an  overwhelming  sorrow.  But  the  story  is  more  than  this;  it  is  an 
analysis  of  a  character  that  had  been  repressed.  Ruth  Ashley  is  a  delightful  creature. 
It  also  shows  the  power  of  love  to  change  and  transform  the  nature  of  a  man  self- 
centered,  cold,  critical — in  short,  it  is  a  story  which  conveys  its  moral  without  seeming 
to  do  so.'  It  has  nothing  of  the  melodramatic  in  it,  but  is'  bright  and  interesting  from 
beginning  to  end,  and  healthful  in  its  every  page." — Advertiser,  Boston. 

"  The  incidents  are  numerous  and  the  story  is  interesting."— Times,  New  York. 

"  A  book  to  quietlv  enjov  and  consider.  It  is  not  one  to  be  hastily  scanned  and 
then  thrown  aside,  for'it  is  full  of  discussions  of  every-day  interest,  which  set  one  to 
thinking— in  fact,  it  is  this  discussive  element  of  the  book,  rather  than  the  plot  or 
characters,  which  elicits  the  bulk  of  the  interest.  .  .  .  You  will  find  it  a  pleasant 
diversion  for  a  few  summer  hours.     .     .     .    " — Times,  Boston. 

"It  is  a  very  good  tale.  .  .  .  There  is  some  very  strong  writing  in  the  book, 
one  passage  in  particular,  where  Captain  Hardy  rescues  Maud  from  his  sinking  ship." 

—Picayune,  New  Orleans. 


BEGGARS    ALL. 

A  NOVEL. 

By  MISS  L.  DOUGALL. 
Sixth  Edition.      1  2mo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $  1  .OO. 

"This  is  one  of  the  strongest  as  well  as  most  original  romances  of  the  year.  .  .  .  The 
plot  is  extraordinary.  .  .  .  The  close  of  the  story  is  powerful  and  natural.  ...  A 
masterpiece  of  restrained  and  legitimate  dramatic  fiction.'' — Litekaky  Wokld. 

"To  say  that  '  Beggars  All'  is  a  remarkable  novel  is  to  put  the  case  mildly  inJeed,  for 
it  is  one  of  the  most  original,  discerning,  and  thoroughly  philosophical  presentations  of 
character  that  has  appeared  in  English  for  many  a  day.  .  .  .  Emphatically  a  novel 
that  thoughtful  pe  pie  ought  to  read  .  .  .  the  perusal  of  it  will  by  many  be  reckoned 
among  th;  intellectual  experiences  that  are  not  easily  forgotten." — Boston  Beacon. 

"  A  story  of  thrilling  interest." — Home  Journal.  ,. 

"  A  very  unusual  quality  of  novel.  It  is  written  with  abil:ty  ;  it  tells  a  strong  story  with 
elaborate  analysis  of  character  and  motive  .  .  .  it  is  of  decided  interest  and  worth 
reading." — Commercial  Advertiser,  N.  Y. 

"  It  is  more  than  a  story  for  mere  summer  reading,  but  deserves  a  permanent  place 
among  the  best  works  of  modern  fiction.  The  author  has  struck  a  vein  of  originality  purely 
her  own.  .  .  .  It  is  tragic,  pathetic,  humerous  by  turns.  .  .  .  Miss  Dougall  has,  in 
fact,  scored  a  sreit  success.  Her  book  is  artistic,  realistic,  intensely  dramatic — in  fact,  one 
of  the  novels  of  the  year." — Boston  Traveller. 

"  'Beggars  All '  is  a  noble  work  of  art,  but  is  also  something  more  and  something  better. 
It  is  a  book  with  a  soul  in  it,  and  in  a  sense,  therefore,  it  may  be  described  as  an  inspired 
work.  The  inspiration  of  genius  may  or  may  not  be  lacking  to  it,  but  the  inspiration  of  a 
pure  and  beautiful  spirituality  pervades  it  completely  .  .  .  the  characters  are  truth- 
fully and  powerfully  drawn,  the  situations  finely  imagined,  and  the  story  profoundly 
interesting." — Chicago  Tkibune. 

LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET.  NEW  YORK. 


"CAN  THIS   BE   LOVE?" 

A    NOVEL. 

By  Mrs.   PARR, 

AUTHOR  OF  "DOROTHY  FOX,1"  "ADAM  AND  EVE,''  ETC. 


With    Frontispiece   and   Vignette   by    Charles   Kerr. 
12mo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.25. 


"  A  wholesome  tale.  .  .  .  It  is  a  pleasant  story,  del  ghtfully  told,  and  with  a  whole- 
some English  atmospnere." — Bock  Buyer,  N.  Y. 

"  This  is  a  story  that  will  repay  the  time  spei.t  over  it.  Mrs.  Parr  is  a  strong  and  inter- 
esting writer.  Her  characters  are  live  characters,  and  the  incidents  through  which  they 
move  are  natural  a*  d  realistic.  Her  present  story  is  through'  ut  an  exceptionally  interesting 
..lie,  and  the  reader  will  find  his  interest  in  it  kept  up  to  t  e  end.  It  is  handsomely  printed 
on  good  paper.-' — Christian  at  Work,  N.  Y. 

"The  touches  ot  humor  .  .  .  are  pleasant;  the  descriptions  of  sceneiyare  charm- 
•ng  ;  the  plot  i-  well  and  artist  cally  planned  and  executed  ;  but,  best  of  all,  the  whole  tone  of 
the  book  is  pure  and  free  from  morbidness,  and  one  can  read  it  from  cover  to  cover  without 
finding  the  taint  of  vulgarity  and  super-emotionalism  (to  call  it  by  the  most  polite  name) 
which  degrades  so  much  of  modern  fiction." — Literary  World,  Boston. 

'"  It  is  a  love  story  of  more  than  usual  interest  and  is  wtll  worth  reading.  .  .  .  The 
three  principal  persons  in  the  book  are  fine  character  studies,  and  the  story  is  strong  and 
interesting." — Advertiser,  Portland,  Me. 

"  Mrs.  Parr  has  given  us  an  altogether  charming  book." — Traveller,  Boston. 

"  One  of  the  daintiest,  most  homelike  and  natural  stories  of  the  week  .  .  .  the  girl 
is  a  downright,  genuine,  substantial  girl,  like  the  girls  we  know  in  the  world  and  love." 

— Commercial  Gazette,  Cincinnati. 


THE  HOUSE  OF  THE  WOLF. 

A    ROMANCE. 
By  STANLEY   J.   WEYMAN, 

AUTHOR    OF    "  A    GENTLEMAN    OF   FRANCE,"    ETC. 


With    Frontispiece   and   Vignette    by    Charles    Kerr. 
12mo,   Cloth,   Ornamental,   $  L25. 


"  A  delightful  volume  .  .  .  one  of  the  brightest,  briskest  tales  I  have  met  with  for  a 
long  time.  Dealing  with  the  Eve  of  St.  Bartholomew  it  portrays  that  night  of  horror  from  a 
point  entirely  new,  and,  we  may  add,  relieves  the  gloom  by  many  a  flash  and  gleam  of  sun- 
shine. Best  of  all  is  the  conception  of  the  Vidanie.  His  character  alone  would  make  the 
book  live." — Critic,  N.  Y. 

"  Recounted  as  by  an  eye  witness  in  a  forceful  way  with  a  rapid  and  graphic  style  that 
commands  interest  and  admiration. 

Of  the  half  dozen  stories  of  St.  Bartholomew's  Eve  which  we  have  read  this  ranks  first 
in  vividness,  delicacy  of  perception,  reserve  power,  and  high  principle." 

— Christian  Union,  X.  Y. 

"  A  romance  which,  although  short,  deserves  a  place  in  literature  along  side  of  Charles 
Reade's  '  Cloister  and  the  Hearth.'  .  .  .  We  have  given  Mr.  Wcyman's  book  not  only 
a  thorough  reading  with  great  interest,  but  also  a  more  than  usual  amount  of  space  because 
we  consider  it  one  of  the  best  examples  in  recent  fiction  of  how  thrilling  and  even  bloody 
adventures  and  scenes  may  be  described  in  a  style  that  is  graphic  and  true  to  detail,  and  yet 
delicate,  quaint,  and  free  from  all  coarseness  and  brutality." 

— Commercial  Advertisfr,  N.  Y. 


LONGMANS,  GEEEN,  &  CO.,  15  EAST  16th  STEEET,  NEW  YOEX. 


H.   RIDER   HAGGARD'S 

Popular   Novels. 


THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  MIST.  Illustrated.  i2mo,  clotli,  $ i.^. 
MONTEZUMA'S  DAUGHTER.  Illustrated.  i2mo,  cloth,  $1.00 
NADA  THE    LILY.      Illustrated.      i2mo,  cloth,  $1.00  ;  paper  cover, 

50  cents. 
ALLAN  QUATERMAIN.     Illustrated.     Half  cloth,  75  cents;  paper 

cover,  25  cents. 
MAIWA'S    REVENGE.      Illustrated.     Half  cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper 

cover,  25  cents. 
COLONEL     QUARITCH.       Half  cloth,   75  cents  ;    paper  cover,   25 

cents. 
CLEOPATRA.      Illustrated.      Half  cloth,  75   cents;   paper  cover,   25 

cents. 
BEATRICE.       Illustrated.       Half  cloth,   75  cents  ;    paper    cover,    25 

cents. 
ERIC   BRIGHTEYES.     Half  cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper  cover,  25  cents. 
ALLAN'S   WIFE,  and  Other  Tales.       Illustrated.       Half  cloth,  75 

cents  ;  paper  cover,  25  cents. 
THE  WITCH'S   HEAD.     Half  cloth,  75  cents. 
MR.      MEESON'S     WILL.       Half    cloth,   75    cents  ;     paper    cover, 

25  cents. 
DAWN.      Illustrated.      Half  cloth,  75  cents. 
THE  WORLD'S  DESIRE.      By  H.  Rider  Haggard  and  Andrew 

Lang.      Half  cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper  cover,  25  cents. 
KING    SOLOMON'S    MINES.      Half  cloth,  75  cents  ;   paper  cover 

25  cents. 
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JESS.     Half  cloth,  75  cents  ;  paper  cover,  25  cents. 


LONGMANS,  GREEK,  &  00.,  15  EAST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


THE    JEWEL   OF   YNYS    GALON 

BEING    A    HITHERTO    UNPRINTED    CHAPTER    IN 
THE    HISTORY   OF    THE    SEA    ROVERS. 

By  OWEN    RHOSCOMYL. 


With  I  2   Illustrations  by  Lancelot  Speed. 
Crown  8vo,  Cloth,  Ornamental,  $1.25. 


"  The  tale  is  exceptionally  well  told  ;  the  descriptive  passages  are  strong  and  viv- 
id without  being  over-elaborated  ;  and  the  recital  of  fights  and  adventures  on  sea  and 
land  is  thrilling,  without  leading  to  any  excess  of  horrors.  The  characters  in  the  book 
are  not  all  villians,  but  the  progress  of  the  narrative  is  lighted  up  by  the  ideals  and 
strivings  of  brave  and  honorable  men.  The  book  is  certainly  a  most  attractive  addi- 
tion to  fiction  of  adventure,  for  it  shows  a  fine  degree  of  imagination  on  the  part  of  the 
author.  A  glance  at  the  illustrations  by  Lancelot  Speed  will  alone  be  enough  to  incite 
a  reading  of  the  story  from  beginning  to  end.'' — The  Beacon,  Boston. 

"It  is  a  work  of  genius — of  the  romantic-realistic  school.  The  story  is  one  of 
pirates  and  buried  treasure  in  an  island  off  the  coast  of  Wales,  and  so  well  is  it  done 
that  it  fascinates  the  reader,  putting  him  under  an  hypnotic  spell,  lasting  long  after  the 
book  has  been  laid  aside.  It  is  dedicated  to  'every  one  whose  blood  rouses  at  a  tale 
of  tall  rights  and  reckless  adventure,'  to  men  and  boys  alike,  yet  there  will  be  keener 
appreciation  by  the  boys  of  larger  growth,  whose  dreams  '  of  buried  treasure  and  of 
one  day  discovering  some  hoard  whereby  to  become  rich  beyond  imagination  '  have 
become  dim  and  blurred  in  the  'toil  and  struggle  for  subsistence.'  '  The  Jewel  of  Ynys 
Galon'  is  one  of  the  great  books  of  1895  and  will  live  long." — The  World,  New  York. 

"  It  is  a  splendid  story  of  the  sea,  of  battle  and  hidden  treasure.  This  picture  of 
the  times  of  the  sea  rovers  is  most  skillfully  drawn  in  transparent  and  simple  English, 
and  it  holds  from  cover  to  cover  the  absorbed  interest  of  the  reader." 

—Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  It  is  a  story  after  the  heart  of  both  man  and  boy.  There  are  no  dull  moments  in 
it,  and  we  find  ourselves  impatient  to  get  on,  so  anxious  are  we  to  see  what  the  next 
turn  in  the  events  is  to  bring  forth ;  and  when  we  come  to  the  end  we  exclaim  in 
sorrow,  "  Is  that  all?  "  and  begin  to  turn  back  the  leaves  and  re-read  some  of  the  most 
exciting  incidents. 

Owen  Rhoscomyl  has  just  the  talents  for  writing  books  of  this  kind,  and  they  are 
worth  a  dozen  of  some  of  the  books  of  to-day  where  life  flows  sluggishly  on  in  a  draw- 
ing-room.   When  the  author  writes  another  we  want  to  know  of  it." — Times,  Boston. 

"  The  style  of  this  thrilling  story  is  intensely  vivid  and  dramatic,  but  there  is 
nothing  in  it  of  the  cheap  sensational  order.  It  is  worthy  a  place  among  the  classics 
for  boys." — Advertiser,  Boston. 

"  The  present  school  of  romantic  adventure  has  produced  no  more  strikingly  im- 
aginative story  than  this  weird  tale  of  Welsh  pirates  in  the  eighteenth  century.  .  .  . 
A  most  enthralling  tale,  .  .  .  told  with  great  artistic  finish  and  with  intense  spirit. 
It  may  be  recommended  without  reserve  to  every  lover  of  this  class  of  fiction." 

—Times,  Philadelphia. 

"  It  is  one  of  the  best  things  of  its  kind  that  have  appeared  in  a  long  time.  .  .  . 
We  do  not  know  how  far  this  tale  may  be  taken  to  be  historical,  and,  to  be  frank, 
we  don't  care.  If  these  things  did  not  happen,  they  might  have  happened,  and  ought 
to  have  happened,  and  that  is  enough  for  us.  If  you  like  'Treasure  Island'  and 
'Kidnapped'  and  the  'White  Company'  and  'Francis  Cludde'  and  '  Lorna  Doone,' 
get  '  The  Jewel  of  Ynys  Galon  '  and  read  it.     You  will  not  be  disappointed." 

— Gazette,  Colorado  Springs,  Col. 

"  Our  own  interest  in  the  book  led  us  to  read  it  at  a  sitting  that  went  far  into  the 
night.  The  old  Berserker  spirit  is  considerably  abroad  in  these  pages,  and  the  blood 
coursed  the  faster  as  stirring  incident  followed  'desperate  situation  and  daring  enter- 
prise."— Literarv  World,  London. 


LONGMANS,  GREEN,  &  00,,  15  EA.ST  16th  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


University  of  California  library 


> 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
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